GRDC Annual Report 2011-12 - Grains Research & Development ...

GRDC Annual Report 

2011–2012

The GRDC 

The Grains Research and Development 

Corporation is a statutory authority 

established to plan and invest in R&D for 

the Australian grains industry. 

Its primary objective is to support effective 

competition by Australian grain growers in 

global grain markets, through enhanced 

profitability and sustainability. 

Its primary business activity is the 

allocation and management of investment 

in grains R&D. 

GRDC Vision 

Driving innovation for a profitable and 

environmentally sustainable Australian 

grains industry. 

GRDC Mission 

To invest in innovation for the greatest 

benefit to its stakeholders. This will be 

achieved by being a global leader in linking 

science, technology and commercialisation 

with industry and community needs. 

GRDC Values 

• Commitment and action in meeting 

the needs of our stakeholders and 

exceeding their expectations. 

• Winning as a team. 

• Achievement of superior results. 

• Creativity and innovation. 

• Openness and trust in dealing 

with people. 

• A performance-driven culture. 

• Ethical behaviour in all our activities.

Highlights of 2011–12 

• The GRDC invested $150.2 million in more than 1,200 projects across 265 organisations, employing approximately 3,000 

researchers, administrators and agribusiness personnel. Pages 148–174 

• Financial analysis of selected GRDC project clusters showed positive benefit-to-cost ratios, ranging from 1.2:1 for National 

Variety Trials to 7.2:1 for Grains Industry Research Scholarships. Page 22 

• In consultation with researchers, government agencies, industry and growers, the GRDC developed a new five-year 

strategic R&D plan, based on investment themes and associated investment strategies designed to achieve a balanced 

portfolio of short-, medium- and long-term objectives to meet the grains RD&E needs of the industry and wider community 

in 2012–17. Page 4 

• The GRDC made significant progress in implementing the National Grains RD&E Strategy. The GRDC announced a coinvestment 

with the Government of Western Australia, through the Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia, 

to establish the Australian Export Grains Innovation Centre, a national research hub identified under the National Grains 

RD&E framework, to undertake analysis of grain quality and activities underpinning the export grains market. 

• The GRDC worked towards the establishment of a joint venture with the CSIRO and Bayer CropScience to further research 

and potentially commercialise a gene which increases grain yield in wheat by around 30 percent in the glasshouse. Page 56 

• Agreement was reached between the GRDC and the University of Sydney for major infrastructure and capability investments 

to be based at the Plant Breeding Institute at Narrabri, New South Wales. The investments underpin R&D undertaken at the 

site and provide linkages to commercial companies and national R&D programs. 

• The Predictive Ocean Atmosphere Model for Australia was upgraded and is demonstrating useful skill for forecasting rainfall 

and temperature two weeks in advance. Page 29 

• Projects with the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) and the International Center for Agricultural 

Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) provided Australian breeders with targeted access to wheat, barley and pulse 

germplasm containing traits of value to Australian grain production systems. Pages 32 & 46 

• The GRDC launched the Farm Business Management (FBM) Update program, which delivers events and resources 

designed to give grain growers and their advisers greater confidence in farm decision making, risk management and 

general business management. Page 38 

• The National Variety Trials program delivered technical workshops to help agronomists and other farm business advisers 

understand the science behind variety performance. Page 49 

• The Australian oat-breeding program was accepted into the Collaborative Oat Research Enterprise program, a global 

collaboration developing molecular markers for accelerated breeding. Pages 47–48 

• An independent review of the National Mungbean Improvement Program found that the program had achieved a 

benefit-to-cost ratio of 18:1 between 2003 and 2011. Pages 52–53 

• All GRDC-supported Australian genetic resources databases were merged with the internationally coordinated database 

GRIN Global, and an in-principle agreement was reached to establish a national genebank for Australia. Pages 50–51 

• The Crop Biofactories Initiative successfully developed a safflower line with seed oil containing 93 percent oleic acid, the 

world’s highest level of acid in a seed oil, that has potential to compete with petrochemical inputs for specific industrial 

applications. Page 57 

• The GRDC reached a commercial agreement to take the Harrington Weed Seed Destructor technology to market; 

the company is planning to have machines ready for the 2012 harvest season. Page 82 

Figure 1: Total grain production and 

cropping area, 2001–02 to 2011–12 

Figure 2: Grower mood towards the state 

of the Australian grains industry 

60 

50 

40 

30 

20 

41.7 

19.3 

46.0 

37.3 

43.7 

19.2 

29.7 

37.6 

37.3 

45.0 

48.4 

Proportion of survey respondents (%) 

100% 

80% 

60% 

40% 

20% 

1 

15 

40 

27 

0 

13 

38 

29 

3 

24 

43 

19 

0 

9 

35 

30 

0 

21 

42 

25 

10 

0% 

17 

20 

11 

26 

12 

0 

2001-02 

2002-03 

2003-04 

2004-05 

2005-06 

2006-07 

2007-08 

2008-09 

2009-10 

2010-11 

2011-12 

2005 

Under considerable threat 

2006 

2008 

Fair shape 

2010 

Extremely good shape 

2012 

Area sown (million hectares) 

Grain production (million tonnes) 

Under some threat 

Good shape

• The GRDC reached a commercialisation agreement to manage the DGT (diffusive gradients in thin films) soil-testing product and its 

introduction into laboratories; the company will educate laboratory staff, consultants, agronomists and farmers on the benefits of using the 

technology for testing phosphorus levels in soil. Page 59 

• Thousands of copies of more than 104 different GRDC information products were distributed around Australia and made available in 

electronic formats. Pages 179–181 

• The GRDC launched its first mobile phone app, making Weeds: the Ute Guide even more portable and user-friendly for growers in the 

Southern Region. Page 41 

• The GRDC sponsored 36 Grower Updates, attracting more than 2,700 growers, and six Adviser Updates, attracting more than 1,600 

advisers; and ran more than 170 ‘issue-specific’ workshops attracting more than 3,500 growers and advisers. 

• The GRDC’s website was redeveloped, to deliver a new look and feel, improved navigation and search functionality, improved linkages to 

GRDC’s multimedia and social media content, and an improved capability to see regionalised and timely information via personal computer 

or smartphone/tablet devices. Page 65 

• The GRDC launched a new corporate brand, based on the concept of ‘Your GRDC working with you’, to reflect the collaborative approach 

that underpins the Strategic R&D Plan 2012–17. 

• The GRDC implemented a restructure that streamlined the organisation into three operational business groups and one enabling 

business group. Pages 10–11 

Challenges in 2012–13 

The following factors are expected to influence the GRDC’s business environment in 2012–13: 

• A long-term decline in the rate of total factor productivity growth will continue, caused by a range of factors, including rising input prices 

and the limiting effects of climate variability on yields. 

• Climate variability will continue to affect grains production, requiring an industry response based on greater innovation, resilience 

and risk management. 

• Carbon pricing will impact on the price of carbon-intensive inputs, requiring that they be applied more efficiently, or that alternatives 

(such as pulses as a source of nitrogen) be identified. 

• The number of grain farms is likely to continue to decline, and the average farm size to increase, because of scale effects. Corporate 

involvement in farming is likely to increase. 

• The Australian and global grain markets are likely to be affected by 

–– 

changes in grain marketing 

–– 

the rate of recovery from the global financial crisis 

–– 

global food security issues, including policies affecting the availability of grain to the export market 

–– 

global oil shortages 

–– 

volatility in grain prices and the cost of inputs relative to grain prices 

–– 

changing demand for grain and grain products. 

• If the volatility of the exchange rate of the Australian dollar continues, it will be difficult for growers to make planting decisions with confidence, 

because of the impact of the volatility on gross margins. 

Figure 3: GRDC income in 2011–12 

Figure 4: GRDC grain grower levy by crop type 

in 2011–12 

120 

60 

$53.9m 

(55.2%) 

100 

$97.7m 

(55.3%) 

50 

80 

40 

$ million 

60 

$55.9m 

(31.7%) 

$ million 

30 

40 

20 

$19.6m 

(20.0%) 

$16.8m 

(17.2%) 

20 

$23.0m 

(13.0%) 

10 

$7.4m 

(7.5%) 

0 

0 

Grain grower levy 

Australian Government 

Interest, royalties and other 

Wheat 

Coarse grains 

Oilseeds 

Pulses

Table 1: Five years at a glance 

2011–12 2010–11 2009–10 2008–09 2007–08 

GRDC 

Revenue $177.5m $175.5m $143.8m $150.4m $127.2m 

Expenditure $165.1m $154.1m $133.4m $121.3m $102.5m 

Operating surplus/(deficit) $12.3m $20.8m $9.8m $28.5m $24.1m 

Total assets $230.7m $206.0m $176.7m $159.1m $117.5m 

Total equity $162.2m $149.3m $128.5m $118.7m $89.7m 

Industry contributions $97.7m $104.5m $74.1m $89.1m $76.6m 

Commonwealth contributions $55.9m $53.4m $50.1m $43.9m $37.6m 

R&D expenditure $150.2m $140.7m $116.8m $106.3m $89.1m 

Employee benefits $7.2m $6.9m $6.4m $6.1m $5.8m 

Suppliers $6.7m $5.7m $5.6m $5.2m $5.1m 

Number of full-time GRDC staff a 46 48 50 49 47 

Number of projects 1,305 – 900 868 771 611 

Grains industry 

Estimated number of grain farms b 19,556 c – 19,556 20,989 22,370 22,006 

Number of grain crops covered by R&D levies 25 – 25 25 25 25 

Estimated gross value of production d $12,429m $12,559m $8,573m $10,744m $10,796m 

iv 

GRDC Annual Report 2011–2012 

Total grain production—summer and winter 48,383 45,042 37,330 37,609 29,748 

crops (‘000 tonnes) e 

a Number of full-time GRDC staff as at 30 June each year. 

b Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES) estimates for the number of broadacre farms 

planting at least 100 hectares for grain, oilseed or pulse production. Figures for 2007–08 to 2010–11 restate the estimated numbers of 

grain farms shown in previous GRDC annual reports following ABARES advice that previous estimates had included non-grain crops. 

c No updated estimate for 2011–12 was available at the time of publication. 

d Latest ABARES estimates for the gross value of production of grains and oilseeds, excluding rice—from the June 2012 Agricultural 

Commodities report. 

e Latest ABARES estimates for total summer and winter crop production, excluding cotton seed and rice—from the June 2012 

Australian Crop Report. 

Figure 5: GRDC expenditure 


Figure 6: R&D investment by line of 

business and region in 2011–12 

160 

140 

$150.2m 

(91.0%) 

70 

60 

$65.0m 

(43.3%) 

$52.0m 

(34.6%) 

$66.5m 

(44.3%) 

$55.1m 

(36.7%) 

$ million 


100 

80 

60 

40 

20 

$7.6m 

(4.6%) 

$7.2m 

(4.4%) 

$ million 

50 

40 

30 

20 

10 

0 

$33.2m 

(22.1%) 

$15.0m $11.9m 

(10.0%) (7.9%) 

$1.7m 

(1.1%) 

0 

Research and development 

Suppliers and other 

Employee benefits 

Southern 

Region 

Western 

Region 

Northern 

Region 

Practices Varieties 

New 

Products 

CCB 

Other

 

Letter of Transmittal 

15 October 2012 

v 

GRDC Annual Report 2011–2012 

Letter of Transmittal 

Senator the Hon. Joe Ludwig 

Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry 

Parliament House 

CANBERRA ACT 2600 

Dear Minister 

I have pleasure in presenting the annual report of the Grains Research and Development 

Corporation (GRDC) for the year ended 30 June 2012, in accordance with section 9 of 

the Commonwealth Authorities and Companies Act 1997 (CAC Act) and section 28 of 

the Primary Industries and Energy Research and Development Act 1989 (PIERD Act). 

The GRDC is confident that its performance in 2011–12 contributed to the industry’s 

and the government’s vision for a profitable, internationally competitive and ecologically 

sustainable Australian grains industry. This achievement is consistent with the GRDC’s 

responsibility to plan, execute and report against the: 

• objects of the PIERD Act as they apply to the GRDC 

• planned outcomes of Prosperity through Innovation, the corporation’s Strategic 

R&D Plan 2007–12 

• outcomes and outputs described in the annual operational plan 

• outcome and deliverables described in the portfolio budget statements. 

This annual report complies with the planning and reporting requirements prescribed 

by the CAC Act. GRDC directors are responsible, under section 9 of the CAC Act, 

for the preparation and content of the report of operations in accordance with the 

Commonwealth Authorities (Annual Reporting) Orders 2011 (Finance Minister’s Orders). 

The attached report of operations was made in accordance with a resolution of the 

corporation’s directors on 18 September 2012 and presents fairly the information 

required by the Finance Minister’s Orders. 

Yours sincerely 


Keith Perrett 

Chair 

Level 1 

40 Blackall Street 

Barton ACT 2600 

PO BOX 5367 

KINGSTON ACT 2604 

T +61 2 6166 4500 

F +61 2 6166 4599 

grdc@grdc.com.au 

www.grdc.com.au

Contents 

Part 1—Overview 1 

About the GRDC 2 

Report from the Chair and Managing Director 15 

vi 

Part 2—Our Performance 19 

Corporate performance 20 

Climate change focus 26 

Collaboration 31 

Output Group 1—Practices 34 

Output Group 2—Varieties 46 

Output Group 3—New Products 56 

Output Group 4—Communication & Capacity Building 62 

Enabling functions 79 

Commercialisation 81 

GRDC Annual Report 2011–2012 

Part 3—Our Organisation 85 

Board 86 

Advisory panels 91 

Senior Leadership Group 92 

Business groups 93 

Accountability 94 

Corporate governance 98 

People management 100

Financial Statements 107 

vii 


Contents 

Independent auditor’s report 108 

Statement by directors and chief financial officer 110 

Statement of comprehensive income 111 

Balance sheet 112 

Statement of changes in equity 113 

Cash flow statement 114 

Schedule of commitments 115 

Notes to and forming part of the financial statements 116 

Appendices 145 

Appendix A—Expenditure on government research priorities 146 

Appendix B—GRDC project list 148 

Appendix C—Joint R&D project list 175 

Appendix D—Publications 179 

Appendix E—Selection Committee report 182 

References 185 

Abbreviations list 186 

Compliance index 187 

Alphabetical index 188 

Opposite page: photo by Arthur Mostead

Part 1—Overview 

About the GRDC 2 

Report from the Chair and 

Managing Director 15

About the GRDC 

2 



Purpose 

The Grains Research and Development 

Corporation (GRDC) is a statutory corporation, 

operating as a research investment body on 

behalf of Australian grain growers and the 

Australian Government. 

The GRDC was established in 1990, under the 

Primary Industries and Energy Research and 

Development Act 1989 (PIERD Act), to assist 

the Australian grains industry to: 

• increase the economic, environmental 

and social benefits to members of primary 

industries and to the community in general 

by improving the production, processing, 

storage, transport or marketing of grain 

• achieve sustainable use and management 

of natural resources 

• make more effective use of the resources 

and skills of the community in general and 

the scientific community in particular 

• improve accountability for expenditure on 

R&D activities. 

The Australian grains industry operates across 

the Australian landscape and makes a major 

economic contribution at the national, state 

and regional levels. Geographically, the grains 

industry is defined by three broad agroecological 

regions, as described in Figure 7. 

The GRDC assists the Australian grains industry 

by investing in R&D and related activities across 

a portfolio spanning temperate and tropical 

cereals, coarse grains, pulses and oilseeds. 

This involves coordinating and funding the 

activities; monitoring, evaluating and reporting 

on their impact; and facilitating the dissemination, 

adoption and commercialisation of their results. 

The GRDC also contributes to the development 

of strategic national approaches to grains 

industry research, development and extension 

(RD&E), to reduce fragmentation and duplication, 

and to help address industry-wide issues such 

as biosecurity and climate change. 

As part of the Australian Government’s 

Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry portfolio, 

the GRDC delivers one outcome towards the 

portfolio’s goal of achieving more sustainable, 

competitive and profitable Australian agriculture, 

food, fisheries and forestry industries: 

New information and products that enhance 

the productivity, competitiveness and 

environmental sustainability of Australian 

grain growers and benefit the industry 

and wider community, through planning, 

managing and implementing investments 

in grains research and development. 

Funding 

The GRDC is principally funded by a grower levy 

and Australian Government contributions. 

The levy is based on the net farm gate value 

of the annual production of 25 crops: wheat; 

coarse grains—barley, oats, sorghum, maize, 

triticale, millets/panicums, cereal rye and canary 

seed; pulses—lupins, field peas, chickpeas, 

faba beans, vetch, peanuts, mungbeans, navy 

beans, pigeon peas, cowpeas and lentils; and 

oilseeds—canola, sunflower, soybean, safflower 

and linseed. Farm gate value of production 

differs from the gross value of production, as 

farm gate value deducts costs of storage, 

handling, freight and ‘free on board’ costs. 

The Australian Government will match the levy 

up to a limit of 0.5 percent of the three-year 

rolling average of the gross value of production 

of the 25 leviable crops.

Figure 7: GRDC regions 

Northern Region 

The Northern Region, encompassing Queensland and northern 

New South Wales, has generally high inherent soil fertility, 

although there is increasing evidence that this has been run 

down over time. It has relatively high seasonal rainfall and 

production variability compared with the other two regions. 

Both summer and winter crops are important for profit. Yield 

depends, to a significant degree, on conservation of soil 

moisture from summer-dominant rainfall. The Northern Region 

has the highest diversity of crop production, including maize, 

sorghum and tropical pulses as well as wheat, barley, wintergrowing 

pulses and oilseeds. 

The Northern Region is the largest source of Australia’s 

premium hard high-protein wheat for export and domestic use. 

Demand for feed grains from the region’s important livestock 

industries is a key driver of grain production. 

3 

Southern Region 

The Southern Region encompasses south-eastern Australia, 

including central and southern New South Wales; Victoria; 

Tasmania; and south-eastern South Australia. 

It has a diverse suite of soils of generally low fertility and 

with many subsoil constraints, such as salinity, sodicity and 

toxic levels of some elements, although there are also some 

areas with very productive soils. Yield potential depends 

on seasonal rainfall, especially in autumn and spring, and 

there is less dependence on stored soil moisture than in the 

Northern Region. 

Crop production systems are varied and include many 

mixed farming enterprises with significant livestock and 

cropping activities. 

Dave Daniels of Clermont, Queensland, has achieved higher 

yields by conserving soil moisture and nutrients through 

weed control. Photo: Clarisa Collis 

Third-generation grain grower Rob Heinrich rotates pulses 

with cereals on his property in the Mallee region of Victoria. 

Photo: Brad Collis 

GRDC Annual Report 2011–2012 About the GRDC 

Western Region 

The Western Region comprises the cropping areas of Western 

Australia, where soil fertility is generally low to very low and 

yields depend on winter and spring rainfall. 

In many areas, yields are low by world standards; this 

is compensated for by the large scale and degree of 

mechanisation of the enterprises. Long-term variability in 

seasonal rainfall and production is lower in the coastal areas 

than in the Northern and Southern regions. 

Wheat, barley, canola and lupins are the dominant crops, 

with livestock enterprises in mixed farming systems often of 

less importance. The Western Region has a relatively small 

population and feed industry, and consequently exports more 

than 85 percent of its grain production. 

On his property in Western Australia, Andrew Kenny 

sowed early in 2012, making the most of rainfall 

through a diversified cropping and grazing program. 

Photo: Evan Collis

Planning and reporting 

The GRDC has performance reporting 

obligations set out in legislation, as well as a 

strong commitment to being accountable to 

grain growers, the Australian Government and 

the broader community. 

Table 2 outlines the elements of the GRDC’s 

planning and reporting framework. 

Detailed information on the GRDC’s 

accountability is provided in Part 3. 

The following sections describe the core 

elements of the annual cycle of reporting 

on performance against planned objectives. 

4 



Table 2: Elements of the planning and reporting approach 

Element 

Strategic R&D plan a 

Annual operational plan a 

Annual report a 

Stakeholder report 

Growers’ report a 

Annual procurement plan 

Investment plan 

Portfolio budget statements a 

Strategic R&D plan 

Purpose 

a Available at www.grdc.com.au/About-Us/Corporate-Governance. 

In line with section 19 of the PIERD Act, the 

GRDC Board communicates its strategic 

directions and performance objectives through a 

five-year strategic R&D plan. The plan states the 

GRDC’s objectives and priorities and outlines 

the GRDC’s strategies to achieve them. 

The GRDC’s Strategic R&D Plan 2007–12, 

Prosperity through Innovation, took effect from 

July 2007. The plan provided a framework 

for investment and delivery of outputs 

and outcomes to address the Australian 

Government’s National Research Priorities and 

Rural R&D Priorities, as well as the priorities of 

Australian grain growers, over the five financial 

years to 2011–12. Those priorities, and the 

GRDC’s achievements in meeting them in 

2011–12, are discussed in more detail in Part 2. 

The GRDC’s new strategic R&D plan, for 

2012–17, was developed during 2011–12. 

The new plan is designed to achieve a balanced 

portfolio of short-, medium- and long-term 

objectives, and describes six themes for 

Sets out the GRDC’s high-level goals, strategies and performance measures for a fiveyear 

period, developed in consultation with stakeholders and approved by the Minister. 

Specifies the annual budget, resources and research priorities that give effect to the 

strategic R&D plan during a given financial year. 

Provides information on RD&E activities and their performance in relation to the goals set 

in the annual operational plan and portfolio budget statements for a given financial year. 

Meets legislative requirements for reporting to the grains industry’s representative 

organisation, Grain Producers Australia. 

Provides performance information to growers on RD&E activities for a given financial year. 

Makes procurement information publicly available through the Australian Government’s 

AusTender procurement management website. 

Informs potential research partners about some of the GRDC’s new investment priorities 

for the next financial year and invites interested parties to submit research proposals. 

As part of the Australian Government budget process, summarise the planned 

deliverables, outcomes, performance information and financial statements for 

a given financial year. 

investment to achieve those objectives. 

The plan also describes the performance 

indicators that will be used to measure the 

success of the strategies and their impact on 

the grains industry and the wider community. 

The new plan will take effect from July 2012. 

Annual operational plan 

Each year’s activities are outlined in an annual 

operational plan, as required by section 25 

of the PIERD Act. The annual operational 

plan describes the activities that the GRDC 

will undertake to implement the goals of the 

strategic R&D plan in the financial year ahead. 

It includes an outcome-based performance 

measurement framework that is consistent 

with the outcome, objective, deliverables and 

performance indicators set out in the portfolio 

budget statements. 

Figure 8 summarises the performance 

framework laid out in the Annual Operational 

Plan 2011–12, including the GRDC’s drivers for 

action, corporate and output group objectives, 

strategies and planned outcome.

Figure 8: Overview of the GRDC performance framework, 2011–12 

Role of the GRDC described in 

the Primary Industries and Energy 

Research and Development 

Act 1989 

Refer page 2 

Australian grain grower 

priorities 

Refer pages 6–7 

National Research 

Priorities 



Rural R&D 

Priorities 


Prosperity through Innovation, 

Strategic Research and 

Development Plan 2007–12 

Annual Operational Plan 

2011–12 

Portfolio Budget Statements 


Corporate objective 

Corporate 

strategies 

Performance 

indicators/outputs 

Objectives 

Strategies 

Performance 

indicators/outputs 

Coordinate a national 

grains R&D agenda 

and portfolio 

Australian grain growers effectively compete in global grain markets 

Deliver against 

Australian 

Government priorities 

Grow and leverage 

total grains R&D 

investment 

Ensure R&D is 

market driven 

Refer page 20 Refer pages 20–21 Refer page 21 Refer page 21 

Output Group 1— 

Practices 

Better practices 

developed and 

adopted faster 

• Identify and 

develop profitable, 

innovative and 

integrated 

practices and 

technologies 

• Ensure active 

grain grower 

involvement and 

commitment 

• Undertake 

targeted 

extension and 

adoption through 

appropriate 

delivery channels 

• Enhance 

sustainable 

management of 

natural resources 


Varieties 

Growers have access 

to superior varieties 

that enable them to 

effectively compete in 

global grain markets 

• Build and sustain 

world-leading 

breeding programs 

• Focus prebreeding 

research 

on key traits 

• Develop a path 

to market for 

genetically 

modified crops 

• Facilitate faster 

adoption of 

superior varieties 


New Products 

Deliver new products 

and services (both 

on farm and off 

farm) that will assist 

growers to effectively 

compete in global 

grain markets 

• Identify national 

and international 

technology 

relevant to the 

grains industry 

• Develop 

partnerships 

to deliver new 

technology 

• Undertake product 

development 

to meet market 

requirements 

• Build robust 

business cases— 

demonstrate 

stakeholder return 

on investment 


Communication & 

Capacity Building 

Increase the 

awareness and 

capacity to optimise 

adoption of grains 

research outputs 

• Ensure planned, 

targeted, 

measured 

communication 

• Coordinate a 

national approach 

to building industry 

and research 

capacity 

• Leverage 

delivery through 

partnerships 

• Develop demanddriven 

publications 

and products 

Refer pages 43–45 Refer pages 54–55 Refer pages 61–62 Refer pages 75–78 

5 


Outcome 

Vision 

New information and products that enhance the productivity, competitiveness and environmental 

sustainability of Australian grain growers and benefit the industry and wider community, through 

planning, managing and implementing investments in grains research and development. 

Driving innovation for a profitable and environmentally sustainable Australian grains industry.

6 


Annual reports 

At the end of the financial year, the GRDC 

publishes an annual report that addresses 

legislated performance reporting requirements, 

including those of: 

• section 28 of the PIERD Act 

• section 9 and Schedule 1 of the 

Commonwealth Authorities and Companies 

Act 1997 (CAC Act), and the Finance 

Minister’s Orders under that Act (the 

Commonwealth Authorities (Annual 

Reporting) Orders 2011) 

• Schedule 2, Part 4, of the Work Health and 

Safety Act 2011 

• section 516A of the Environment Protection 

and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 

• Part II of the Freedom of Information 

Act 1982. 

The annual report also meets the GRDC’s 

responsibilities for reporting against the budget 

framework of the Agriculture, Fisheries and 

Forestry portfolio. In addition to the audited 

financial statements, it includes assessments of 

performance against operational and corporate 

performance indicators. 

This Annual Report 2011–12 details the 

GRDC’s achievements against the performance 

framework set out in the Annual Operational 

Plan 2011–12 (as shown in Figure 8). 

Research priorities 

Through the five-year strategic R&D plan and 

the annual operational plan, the GRDC tailors its 

investment portfolio to best address the RD&E 

priorities identified by Australian grain growers 

and the Australian Government. 

Australian grain grower priorities 

Australian grain growers’ R&D priorities were 

identified in consultations held during the 

development of the Strategic R&D Plan 2007–12 

and ratified through the GRDC’s ongoing 

consultations with Grain Producers Australia, 

local research advisory committees, grower 

groups and grower organisations and individual 

grain growers. 

Table 3 shows the identified priorities of 

Australian grain growers and provides examples 

of activities supported by the GRDC to address 

those priorities in 2011–12. 


Table 3: Investments and activities to meet grain grower priorities in 2011–12 

Grain grower priorities 

Environmental 

Responses to climate 

change 

Improved water use 

efficiency 

Sustainability and 

resource management 

Soil health and biology 

Examples of relevant GRDC investments and activities 

• Research to examine the impact of elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide levels on critical 

aspects of cropping in Australia, including whether elevated carbon dioxide will affect grain 

quality and marketability, pest and disease dynamics, and cultivar performance. 

• A modelling project to provide growers with access to cost–benefit data indicating the best 

combination of management practices, for each agroecological zone, to build resilience 

and maintain or increase profitability and productivity in a range of possible future climates. 

• The establishment of a national frost program, with an initial focus on identifying sources 

of frost tolerance and developing frost tolerance ratings for wheat and barley. The program 

will be expanded to pulses and oilseeds once reliable phenotyping of cereals has been 

achieved. 

• Research at the Australian Centre for Plant Functional Genomics to identify genes and 

gene networks underpinning a range of abiotic stress tolerance traits. This includes work to 

improve water use efficiency and enhance responses to climate change, salinity and other 

environmental degradation. 

• A project to improve photosynthetic traits of sorghum germplasm for higher water use and 

nitrogen use efficiencies. 

• The development of a pesticide and fertiliser stewardship program for Australian grain 

farms, to secure the use of chemicals and fertilisers key to profitable grain production while 

providing the wider community with confidence that the industry is using such inputs safely 

and wisely. 

• New research to identify and describe the impacts of tillage on soil properties and its 

biological processes, the dynamics of soil recovery, production responses, economic 

outcomes and the risks for the soil resource. 

• A project to improve the adaptation of barley to acid soils.

Table 3: Investments and activities to meet grain grower priorities in 2011–12 (continued) 

Grain grower priorities 

Farm management 

Integrated farming 

practices and 

technologies 

Integrated management 

of weeds, diseases and 

pests 

Herbicide resistance 

management 

Variety development 

Biotechnology for 

improving genetic gain 

Superior new varieties 


• Work to develop improved crop performance monitoring methods, especially in the use of 

satellite and microsensor array technologies. 

• Work to deliver new integrated approaches for the management of the root rot fungus 

Rhizoctonia, including the integrated use of strategic monitoring, crop rotation and 

fungicide application technologies. 

• A number of projects looking into biological approaches to crop protection, including: 

–– 

a virus-based insecticide and ‘attract and kill’ technology for the control of diamondback 

moth in canola 

–– 

biological suppression of fusarium crown rot 

–– 

nematode-suppressing microbes. 

• A project to improve integrated weed management practice in the Northern and Southern 

regions. 

• Investments in the Australian Herbicide Resistance Initiative and the Australian Glyphosate 

Sustainability Working Group. 

• Work to provide single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) marker resources through the 

Australian Wheat and Barley Molecular Marker Program. The program will expand to 

include new barley-related projects to produce the tools to breed for: 

–– 

acid soil tolerance 

New and innovative product development 

Capacity building 

Improving skills, training 

and education in 

agriculture 

Farm business 

management 

–– 

reduced severity of net form net blotch disease 

–– 

improved end-use quality. 

• Coordinated national screening of barley parental material and elite lines for resistance to 

foliar pathogens, to improve understanding of the genetics of resistance in host crops and 

evolution of virulence in pathogens. 

• A project to develop a reliable system for identifying blackleg resistance genes in Australian 

canola, based on the development of a differential set of virulent/avirulent blackleg isolates. 

• Reverse genetic analysis of novel genes for resistance to necrotrophic pathogens in wheat 

and barley. 

• Work to monitor the performance of three commercial wheat-breeding companies— 

Australian Grain Technologies Pty Ltd, InterGrain Pty Ltd and HRZ Wheats Pty Ltd—in 

developing and commercialising improved varieties for Australian wheat growers. 

• A project to expand the brassica germplasm base in Australia through collaboration with 

China and India. 

• The engagement of commercial partners to bring ultra-low gluten barley and high-amylose 

wheat to market. 

• The identification of improved safflower germplasm that can serve as a base platform for 

the launch of products from the Crop Biofactories Initiative. 

• Work to produce urea and other fertiliser-based products from waste streams and 

biological processes. 

• Work to test a new enzyme additive that improves the digestibility of sorghum in ruminants. 

• The delivery of GRDC technical workshops. 

• The production of Crop Update DVDs and online video presentations. 

• The development of a website to provide information on GRDC-supported field trials. 

• The establishment of a farm business management initiative to bring together skills, 

resources and assets, in new combinations from various networks, to help growers and 

their advisers to manage risk and make better business decisions. 

• The delivery of farm business management updates for advisers and growers, with 

associated newsletters, articles and fact sheets. 

7 

GRDC Annual Report 2011–2012 About the GRDC

Australian Government priorities 

The relevant Australian Government R&D 

priorities are identified in: 

• the National Research Priorities outlined by 

the Prime Minister in December 2002, and 

their associated priority goals 

• the Rural R&D Priorities announced to 

the rural R&D corporations (RDCs) by 

the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and 

Forestry in May 2007. 

Table 4 shows the relationships between 

the government’s research priorities and the 

associated goals. 

Table 5 shows how GRDC investments and 

activities addressed the priorities in 2011–12. 

The total expenditure allocated to each of the 

Australian Government’s priorities is shown in 

detail in Appendix A. 

8 



Table 4: Australian Government research priorities and associated goals 

National Research Priorities 

An environmentally 

sustainable Australia 

A1: Water—a critical resource 

A2: Transforming existing 

industries 

A3: Overcoming soil loss, salinity 

and acidity 

A4: Reducing and capturing 

emissions in transport and 

energy generation 

A5: Sustainable use of Australia’s 

biodiversity 

A6: Developing deep earth 

resources 

A7: Responding to climate change 

and variability 

Rural R&D Priorities 

Productivity and 

adding value 

Improve the productivity 

and profitability of existing 

industries and support the 

development of viable new 

industries 

Supporting the Rural R&D Priorities 

Innovation skills 

Promoting and 

maintaining good health 

B1: A healthy start to life 

B2: Ageing well, ageing 

productively 

B3: Preventive healthcare 

B4: Strengthening 

Australia’s social and 

economic fabric 

Supply chain and 

markets 

Better understand and 

respond to domestic and 

international market and 

consumer requirements 

and improve the flow 

of such information 

through the supply chain, 

including to consumers 

Improve the skills to undertake research and apply its findings 

Natural resource 

management 

Frontier technologies for 

building and transforming 

Australian Industries 

C1: Breakthrough science 

C2: Frontier technologies 

C3: Advanced materials 

C4: Smart information use 

C5: Promoting an innovation 

culture and economy 

Support effective 

management of 

Australia’s natural 

resources to ensure 

primary industries are 

both economically 

and environmentally 

sustainable 

Technology 

Climate variability 

and climate change 

Build resilience to 

climate variability and 

adapt to and mitigate 

the effects of climate 

change 

Safeguarding Australia 

D1: Critical infrastructure 

D2: Understanding our 

region and the world 

D3: Protecting Australia 

from invasive 

diseases and pests 

D4: Protecting Australia 

from terrorism and 

crime 

D5: Transformational 

defence technologies 

Biosecurity 

Protect 

Australia’s 

community, 

primary 

industries and 

environment 

from biosecurity 

threats 

Promote the development of new and existing technology 

On farm storage silos at Wellington in western New South Wales. Photo: Paul Jones

Table 5: Investments and activities to meet the Australian Government priorities 


Priorities 

RRDP: Productivity and 

adding value 

NRP: Promoting and 


RRDP: Supply chain and 

markets 

NRP: An environmentally 


RRDP: Natural resource 

management 

NRP: An environmentally 


RRDP: Climate variability 

and climate change 

NRP: Safeguarding 

Australia 

RRDP: Biosecurity 

NRP: Frontier 

technologies for building 

and transforming 

Australian industries 

RRDP: Innovation skills 

NRP: Frontier 

technologies for building 

and transforming 

Australian industries 

RRDP: Technology 


• A study to investigate and identify requirements along the value chain—including breeders, 

growers, government and marketers—to take narrow-leafed lupins from traditional feed markets 

into higher value food markets. 

• A diagnostic agronomy project that will provide a framework to allow growers to diagnose limits 

to crop performance, and respond effectively to that diagnosis. 

• Work to develop dual-purpose wheat (grazing and grain) for the high-rainfall zones. 

• Further development of the proof-of-concept for the yield gene technology in wheat and sorghum. 

• Collaboration with Indonesian flour milling companies to: 

–– 

understand Indonesian requirements for bread wheat qualities 

–– 

provide breeders with breeding targets for the Indonesian bread wheat market 

–– 

develop baking and other testing methods for variety assessment in Australia 

–– 

provide Wheat Quality Australia Limited with information for use in wheat classification. 

• Work to provide Australian barley breeders with the necessary knowledge of genes and 

molecular markers to enable a targeted improvement in ‘malt extract’ levels to maintain 

Australia’s competitiveness in overseas markets. 

• A project to better understand the economic value of functional characteristics of Australian 

wheat in selected Asian markets. 

• Work to commercialise ultra-low gluten barley. 

• New research to identify and describe the impacts of tillage on soil properties and processes, 

the dynamics of soil recovery, production responses, economic outcomes and the risks of the 

soil resource. 

• The development of a pesticide and fertiliser stewardship program for Australian grain farms, to 

secure the use of chemicals and fertilisers key to profitable grain production while providing the 

wider community with confidence that the industry is using such inputs safely and wisely. 

• A major program of work to examine the impact of elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide levels 

on critical aspects of cropping in Australia, including whether elevated carbon dioxide will affect 

grain quality and marketability, pest and disease dynamics, and cultivar performance. 

• A modelling project to provide growers with access to cost–benefit data indicating the best 

combination of management practices, for each agroecological zone, to build resilience and 

maintain or increase profitability and productivity in a range of possible future climates. 

• Research at the Australian Centre for Plant Functional Genomics to identify genes and gene 

networks underpinning a range of abiotic stress tolerance traits. This includes work to improve 

water use efficiency and enhance responses to climate change, salinity and other environmental 

degradation. 

• The establishment of a national frost program, with an initial focus on identifying sources of 

frost tolerance and developing frost tolerance ratings for wheat and barley. The program will be 

expanded to pulses and oilseeds once reliable phenotyping of cereals has been achieved. 

• Investments through the Cooperative Research Centre for National Plant Biosecurity to deliver 

a post-incursion quarantine strategy for the currently exotic Russian wheat aphid, including the 

hypervirulent biotypes, in Australia. 

• Work to improve surveillance for and management of insecticide and fungicide resistance. 

• The coordination of the registration of grain storage chemicals. 

• Increased focus on international collaboration and capacity building by Pulse Breeding Australia, 

including a postgraduate training stream to increase the skills and breadth of pulse researchers 

in Australia. 

• A project to develop a decision support tool for the strategic use of tillage within conservation 

farming practice, to: 

–– 

replace uncritical adherence to a specific tillage philosophy with a rational decision process 

based on a wide range of relevant variables 

–– 

inform and empower the farming community, through involvement in the development of 

the tool and through a communication program covering tillage options, to improve grain 

farming sustainability. 

• Work to develop improved crop performance monitoring methods, especially in the use of 

satellite and microsensor array technologies. 

• Work to establish a business case for the development of a novel soil-wetting agent to increase 

the initial penetration of rainfall and improve water-holding ability in the upper soil layers. 

9 


NRP = National Research Priority, RRDP = Rural R&D Priority

10 



Structure 

The GRDC’s organisational structure is designed 

to most effectively apply the organisation’s 

resources to achieve its operational and 

strategic outcomes. 

At 1 July 2011, the GRDC’s structure was 

based on four ‘lines of business’—Practices, 

Varieties, New Products and Communication 

& Capacity Building—under the oversight 

of the Executive Management Team. In this 

annual report, for the purposes of reporting 

performance against the annual operational plan 

and portfolio budget statements for 2011–12, 

each output group corresponds to one of those 

lines of business. 

During 2011–12, the GRDC’s structure was 

revised, to: 

• recognise that the delivery of benefits to our 

stakeholders requires an integrated approach 

across business groups and tailored 

investment strategies with clearly defined 

outcomes 

• increase our emphasis on listening and 

delivering outcomes to grain growers 

• recognise the specialist management and 

governance requirements of commercial 

investments 

• facilitate greater global interaction to source 

new ideas and technologies that can be 

adapted for the benefit of the Australian 


Figure 9: GRDC structure as at 30 June 2012 

• ensure greater coordination between the 

finance, procurement and corporate strategy 

functional areas. 

When the revised structure came into effect on 

9 August 2011: 

• the Executive Management Team decreased 

by two and became the Senior Leadership 

Group (described in more detail later in this 

section) 

• the staff of the former lines of business and 

enabling functions were reallocated to one of 

four business groups 

–– 

the Research Programs business group, 

which brought together most of the 

functional areas that made up the former 

Varieties and Practices lines of business 

–– 

the Commercial business group, which 

was created from the New Products line 

of business combined with company 

equity ownership activities of the Varieties 

line of business and some components of 

the Practices line of business 

–– 

the Regional Grower Services business 

group, which was created by merging 

communication, publications and 

webmaster functions with responsibilities 

for regional communications 

–– 

the enabling business group Corporate 

Services, which took over the enabling 

functions. 

Figure 9 shows the GRDC’s organisational 

structure at 30 June 2012. 

Regional 

Panels 

National 

Panel 

Board 

Managing 

Director 

Senior 

Leadership 

Group 

Corporate 

Services 

Research 

Programs 

Regional 

Grower 

Services 

Commercial 

Enabling 

Business Group 

Operational 

Business Groups

Business groups 

The GRDC’s business functions are shared 

between: 

• three operational business groups, 

Commercial, Regional Grower Services, and 

Research Programs 

• one enabling business group, Corporate 

Services. 

Table 6 summarises the functions of each 

business group. The roles of the business 

groups in achieving the GRDC’s strategic 

objectives are set out in Table 25 in Part 3. 

Table 6: Key functions of GRDC business groups 

Business group 

Operational 

Commercial 

Regional Grower Services 


Enabling 

Corporate Services 

Functional areas 

Commercial enterprises 

Farm technology products 

Grain technology products 

Brand management 

Information management and delivery 

North, south and west communication and coordination 

North, south and west regional program development 

Publications 

Technical/scientific communication 

Webmaster 

Agronomy 

Capacity building 

Climate change 

Crop protection 

Farming systems 

Gene discovery 

Germplasm enhancement 

Oilseeds, pulses and summer crop breeding 

Resource management 

Soils and environment 

Statistics 

Theme coordination 

Trial operations 

Winter cereal breeding 

Business processes 

Compliance 

Finance 

Human resources and industrial relations 

Impact assessment 

Information technology 

Legal 

Office management 

Planning, strategy and reporting 

Procurement 

Records management 

11 


Regional Grower Services business group. Left to right: (back row) Sharon O’Keeffe, Tom McCue, Kyle Thoms, Andrew Rice; 

(front row) Darren Hughes, Nikki Bricknell, Stuart Kearns (Executive Manager), Tom Riethmuller, Maureen Cribb. 

Photo: Geoff Comfort



Senior Leadership Group 

The Senior Leadership Group (SLG) leads 

the GRDC’s business activities, advises the 

GRDC Board and implements the Board’s 

decisions. To ensure that the GRDC’s 

operations are monitored and managed 

efficiently and effectively, the SLG meets 

regularly and maintains and updates an 

annual business schedule. 

The SLG has five members: the Managing 

Director, John Harvey, and the executive 

managers from each of the four business 

groups. At 30 June 2012, the executive 

managers were Leecia Angus (Corporate 

Services), Stuart Kearns (Regional Grower 

Services), Vince Logan (Commercial) and 

Stephen Thomas (Research Programs). 

From 1 July 2011 to 9 August 2011, when the 

GRDC restructure took effect, the executive 

managers of the lines of business were Leecia 

Angus (Corporate Services), Stephen Thomas 

(Practices and Communication & Capacity 

Building), and Vince Logan (New Products). 

Leadership of the Varieties line of business 

(and associated aspects of Communication 

& Capacity Building) was shared between 

program managers in an acting capacity. 

Information on the roles and backgrounds of the 

SLG members is provided in Part 3. 

Board 

The GRDC Board is responsible for the 

stewardship of the GRDC and sets the strategic 

direction of the corporation. Its functions 

include overseeing corporate governance and 

monitoring the performance of the business and 

of the Managing Director. 

At 30 June 2012, the Board comprised nine 

directors: Keith Perrett (Chair), John Harvey 

(Managing Director), Richard Brimblecombe, 

Jeremy Burdon, Jenny Goddard, Kim Halbert, 

Robert Lewis, Sharon Starick and John Woods. 

More details on the composition and activities of 

the Board are provided in Part 3. 

Advisory panels 

The Board makes decisions with the support of 

the National Panel, which in turn is informed by 

the knowledge and experience of three regional 

advisory panels. This network helps to ensure 

that GRDC investments are directed towards 

the interests of all its stakeholders and the 

strategic objectives of its programs. 


GRDC Board. From left: (back row) Jeremy Burdon, Kim Halbert, Richard Brimblecombe, John Woods, Rob Lewis; (front row) 

Jenny Goddard, Keith Perrett (Chair), John Harvey (Managing Director), Sharon Starick. Photo: Geoff Comfort

The Northern Regional Panel, Southern 

Regional Panel and Western Regional Panel 

represent Australia’s three grain-growing 

regions. Each regional panel: 

• identifies and monitors regional and national 

grains industry issues that are relevant to 

the region 

• interacts with grower groups, research 

advisory committees and other interested 

parties in the region to exchange information 

• identifies and develops priorities for RD&E 

investment and recommends these to the 

National Panel 

• keeps growers and advisers in the region 

informed about the GRDC’s strategic 

direction, investment portfolio and 

research projects 

• assists staff in monitoring the effectiveness 

of the investment portfolio. 

The regional advisory panels are composed 

of grain growers, agribusiness representatives, 

researchers and the GRDC’s executive 

managers, with provision for other industry 

experts to participate as appropriate. Panel 

members are contracted to carry out their role 

and are not employees of the GRDC. 

The National Panel: 

• addresses national RD&E priorities across 

the GRDC’s investment portfolio and makes 

recommendations to the Board 

• assists the Board to maintain links with grain 

growers, the Australian Government, state 

and territory governments and research 

partners. 

The National Panel is composed of the three 

regional panel chairs and the GRDC’s Managing 

Director and executive managers. 

More details on the composition and activities 

of the advisory panels are provided in Part 3. 

Relationships 

The GRDC fosters productive relationships 

with its stakeholders and with other 

organisations that have a common interest in 

improving knowledge, information and market 

effectiveness for rural industries. 

Stakeholders 

As well as Australian grain growers and 

the Australian Government, the GRDC’s 

stakeholders include many groups and 

organisations that play important roles in 

achieving the Australian grains industry’s 

outcomes. These may be involved in uncovering 

new knowledge through RD&E, integrating 

knowledge in the form of innovative regional 

farming systems, or promoting the adoption 

of new products, services or systems. 

These stakeholders include: 

• state and federal government agencies, 

other RDCs, cooperative research centres, 

universities, plant-breeding organisations, 

grower groups, farm advisers and 

agribusinesses 

• bulk grain handlers, marketers and exporters; 

seed companies; and millers, brewers and 

other end users 

• the wider Australian community, which 

expects the grains industry to produce 

quality food and feed, to contribute to export 

income and employment, and to assist in 

the sustainable management of Australian 

landscapes. 

Communication 

The GRDC seeks out opportunities to 

communicate with its stakeholders, because 

exchanging information and ideas is vital to 

meeting stakeholders’ needs—and exceeding 

their expectations. 

In addition to Grain Producers Australia, the 

GRDC consults a wide range of grower and 

representative bodies, such as farming systems 

groups and state farming organisations. Industry 

representative groups for particular sectors also 

liaise with the GRDC, through the national and 

regional agribusiness reference groups. 

The GRDC also communicates regularly 

with many Australian Government and state 

government agencies, while working closely 

with the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries 

and Forestry. Access to these agencies, as 

well as CSIRO and the university sector, is both 

provided through the activities of the Primary 

Industries Standing Committee of the Primary 

Industries Ministerial Council and sought directly 

by the GRDC. 

13 

GRDC Annual Report 2011–2012 About the GRDC

14 



Collaboration 

Collaboration is at the heart of the GRDC’s 

approach to adding value to the Australian 

grains industry. The majority of the GRDC’s 

investment in RD&E is with partners that 

co-fund the work as well as conduct many of 

the activities. Examples include government 

agencies; cooperative research centres, 

universities and other research organisations, 

including RDCs; commercial plant breeders and 

seed companies; agricultural companies and 

advisers; and grain marketers, exporters and 

end users. 

Australia’s R&D investment is only a small part 

of the global effort, so the GRDC collaborates 

with overseas organisations to build and access 

new technologies and intellectual property that 

would otherwise be unavailable to Australia. 

Notable examples of such organisations include 

the International Maize and Wheat Improvement 

Center (CIMMYT), the International Center for 

Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) 

and the International Crops Research Institute 

for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT). 

Commercial partnerships 

Usually the GRDC is only one of a number of 

public and/or private organisations investing 

in the development of a new technology. 

Investment partnerships are desirable and 

necessary because they bring together 

complementary skills and reduce the risk to 

the GRDC in the funding of new technologies. 

Partner organisations can bring benefits such 

as market knowledge and access to proprietary 

technologies, as well as financial resources. 

Where the GRDC is a member of a research 

consortium using public and private sector 

funds, the investors collaborate to determine 

the terms of commercialisation, to ensure that 

a proper balance is struck among the needs of 

all members of the consortium. 

While the most usual path to market for 

commercial research products from GRDC 

research investment will be through licensing to 

suitable partners, investments in joint ventures 

and companies to deliver the products will be 

considered, based on the merits of business 

cases that demonstrate that this will deliver 

the best outcome for the industry. 

Location 

Most GRDC staff are located in offices at the 

following Canberra address: 

Grains Research and Development Corporation 

Level 1, Tourism House 


BARTON ACT 2600 

The GRDC owns one floor of Tourism House. 

The GRDC does not own any research facilities. 

The Manager Grower Services North is located 

in Boggabri, New South Wales; the Manager 

Grower Services South is located in Parkes, New 

South Wales; and the Manager Grower Services 

West is located in Perth, Western Australia. 

GRDC technical consultant John Sheppard (left) discusses the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) 

wheat-breeding program with CIMMYT scientist Ravi Singh in Obregon, Mexico. Photo: GRDC

Report from the Chair and 

Managing Director 

As harvest approaches, Australian grain growers 

are gearing up to take advantage of what were 

generally reasonable conditions over the past 

winter growing season. The economic potential 

arising from the positive crop outlook is boosted 

by strong demand from export markets. 

In times like this, when national and international 

conditions look positive, the GRDC works to 

make sure that local production issues are not 

hindering growers in a particular region from fully 

accessing the opportunities presented. 

One of the key aims of the GRDC’s Strategic 

R&D Plan 2012–17, launched in August 

2012, is to ensure that national research, 

development and extension (RD&E) programs 

better align with growers’ regional needs. 

The new five-year plan was developed following 

extensive consultation with grain growers, the 

wider grains industry, the research community 

and government agencies. 

In addition, the GRDC has been engaging 

more with private sector research organisations 

and identifying and accessing overseas 

technologies that can be adapted to Australian 

production systems. Our strong relationships 

with private sector research bodies and 

international research alliances ensure that 

Australian growers have access to advanced 

technologies and crop improvements from 

around the world. 

These new areas of focus in grains research 

management build on the successes 

achieved, and lessons learned, under 

the GRDC’s previous five-year strategic 

plan, Prosperity through Innovation, which 

concluded on 30 June 2012. As this annual 

report demonstrates, the GRDC successfully 

addressed the targets of that plan, providing 

the leadership and delivering the resources 

needed to enhance the productivity, 

competitiveness and sustainability of the 

grains sector in Australia. 

This was reflected in responses to the GRDC’s 

2012 Grower Survey, which saw strong 

improvements across several key indicators, 

including a 9 percent increase in the proportion 

of ‘Growers rating GRDC performance very 

or fairly high’, and a 22 percent increase 

in ‘Growers directly benefiting from GRDC 

activities or initiatives’—both measures were 

endorsed by three out of four growers surveyed. 

The following sections provide a snapshot of 

grains industry production and the GRDC’s 

performance in 2011–12, highlighting some of 

the key achievements. 

Grains industry production 

In 2011–12, a strong year for grain production 

saw the Australian grains industry produce its 

biggest crop ever, with production increasing 

7 percent or 3.3 million tonnes to a record 

48.4 million tonnes (from 45.1 million tonnes 

in 2010–11) with an estimated gross value of 

production of $12.4 billion. 

This impressive performance was largely the 

result of a major turnaround in winter crop 

production in Western Australia, which more 

than doubled from 8 million tonnes in 2010–11 

to 17 million tonnes in 2011–12. This offset 

lower winter crop production in New South 

Wales, South Australia and Victoria. 

Other grains production data released by 

the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and 

Resource Economics and Sciences show 

that in 2011–12: 

• the production of winter grains, oilseeds 

and pulses increased by 7 percent or 

3 million tonnes, to 45.5 million tonnes 

from 42.5 million tonnes 

• the production of wheat and barley increased 

by 6 percent and canola production rose 

18 percent, while chickpea and lupin 

production collectively rose 14 percent 

• summer crop production increased by 

16 percent or 0.4 million tonnes, to 

2.9 million tonnes from 2.5 million tonnes. 

15 

GRDC Annual Report 2011–2012 Report from the Chair and Managing Director

16 



GRDC projects 

Over the past year, GRDC-supported projects 

led to several exciting developments across 

the grains value chain, from crop production to 

end uses. 

Pre-breeding research into frost tolerance is 

addressing a major production constraint. It is 

estimated that radiant frost damage and the 

implementation of frost minimisation strategies 

cost the grains industry in excess of $360 

million each year. In 2011–12, the GRDC 

invested around $1.3 million in pre-breeding 

research on frost-tolerance in wheat and barley. 

As part of a new national program, a number 

of projects were established to develop robust 

frost phenotyping protocols and frost tolerance 

ratings. In addition, the GRDC supported a 

range of projects to raise the effectiveness of 

management options for frost, from research 

into trends in extreme weather events to a 

regional communications campaign. 

Water use efficiency is a vital attribute for crops 

across Australia, and increasing wheat yields 

under Australia’s water-limited environments 

is a major driver for GRDC investments. 

GRDC-supported research has shown 

that ‘switching off’ a particular gene in 

wheat can significantly increase yield—in 

the glasshouse, yields were lifted by up to 

30 percent. In 2011–12, the GRDC, CSIRO and 

Bayer CropScience formed a partnership to 

further develop the technology. 

One of the constraints that overlaps almost all 

production activities, where it occurs, is salinity. 

This area of research saw a true breakthrough 

in 2011–12, when a GRDC-funded project was 

the first of its kind to fully develop a salt-tolerant 

agricultural crop. The researchers used a 

conventional but highly sophisticated strategy to 

breed a sodium exclusion gene, derived from an 

ancestor of modern wheat, into durum wheat. 

In salinity-affected trials conducted in New 

South Wales and South Australia, the strains 

with the added gene delivered 25 percent yield 

gain, and actual yield gains of 1.6 tonnes per 

hectare were achieved. 

The GRDC also supports projects to improve 

understanding of, and options for, optimising 

crop nutrition. Successful outcomes of 

this work in 2011–12 will soon see new 

technology delivered to the Australian 

grains industry. For example: 

• The GRDC and Back Paddock Company 

reached an agreement to commercialise 

the diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT) 

soil-testing technology, which will enable 

growers to accurately and reliably measure 

plant-available phosphorus in soil for the 

first time. 

• The Australian Centre for Plant Functional 

Genomics (ACPFG), CSIRO and international 

seed company Vilmorin and Cie reached 

an agreement on the further development, 

deregulation and delivery of nitrogen use 

efficiency gene technology. 

Optimising production through the effective 

management of weeds, pests and diseases 

requires an approach that integrates technologies 

and management approaches. Examples of 

achievements in 2011–12 reflect the diversity of 

our RD&E investments in this area: 

• The Australian Herbicide Resistance Initiative 

achieved a first by delivering results on the 

potential resistance risks of a new herbicide 

before the new product was released. 

• Research began to develop a standard 

protocol for determining soil disturbance by 

disc seeders and tine seeders, to improve 

the effectiveness of soil-incorporated 

herbicide. 

• A project was established to develop a 

database that will support the use of drift 

reduction technologies for the application of 

pesticides using ground boom sprayers. 

• Experiments in areas of the Darling Downs, 

Queensland, the southern region of New 

South Wales, and the Stirling Range, Western 

Australia, all found measurable benefits of 

native vegetation in suppressing pests. 

• The Pathways to Registration program 

helped to facilitate label improvements and 

expedite the registration of the outcomes of 

GRDC investments in pesticide R&D. 

• The Australian Cereal Rust Control Program 

greatly reduced both the probability and the 

likely impact of occurrences of rust diseases 

in cereals, by helping to ensure genetic 

diversity and enable rapid response to 

sudden pathogen changes. 

• Work continued to determine the extent and 

impact of fungicide resistance on pathogens 

that cause diseases in major crops, such as 

Stagonospora nodorum blotch, tan spot, net 

blotch, powdery mildew, ascochyta blight 

and botrytis.

Looking to the future, the GRDC also 

supported projects to strengthen Australian 

grain producers’ access to emerging markets. 

The GRDC–CSIRO Crop Biofactories Initiative 

reached a significant milestone with the 

development of a safflower plant that produces 

oil that contains more than 90 percent oleic 

acid, the highest level of purity of any individual 

fatty acid available from any current plant oil. 

This offers the possibility of a renewable and 

sustainable source of oil that could replace 

petroleum-based feedstock in the manufacture 

of a number of industrial products. 

Other areas of research with the potential to 

extend the reach of Australian grains included: 

• the development of a prototype doughsheeting 

line to process high-moisture, lowprotein 

wheat flour, which looks promising 

as a way for low-protein Australian wheats 

to access the growing Asian bakery market 

• work to demonstrate that Australian raw 

barley is ideally suited to the beer-brewing 

process based on the Odena Pro enzyme 

product that has been embraced by the 

Asian brewery market. 

GRDC partnerships 

Despite the extraordinary success of Australian 

grains researchers, we still represent only 

about 2 percent of global grains research, 

and international partnerships are necessary 

to ensure that Australia has access to the 

best available information and technology. 

For example, a research collaboration between 

the ACPFG and international seed company 

DuPont Pioneer was significantly expanded 

during the year, providing Australian researchers 

with increased access to research and plant 

production technologies. 

The GRDC’s significant alliances with the 

International Maize and Wheat Improvement 

Center and the International Center for 

Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas 

deliver important germplasm, information 

and expertise to the Australian industry. 

In 2011–12, a performance review confirmed 

that those alliances provide Australian breeders 

with targeted access to wheat, barley and 

pulse germplasm containing traits of value 

to Australian grain production systems. 

We are negotiating a similar alliance with 

the International Crops Research Institute 

for the Semi-Arid Tropics. 

At the same time, national and regional 

partnerships are also vital to ensure that 

GRDC-supported RD&E delivers the outcomes 

that the Australian grains industry needs, 

where and when it needs them. In 2011–12, 

our Regional Cropping Solutions initiative 

established networks to assist growers, 

consultants and researchers to connect with 

the GRDC and share their knowledge of local 

cropping issues and the RD&E activities needed 

to address them. The new networks—four in 

the Southern Region and five in the Western 

Region—play a similar role to the Grower 

Solutions Groups in the Northern Region, 

and complement our system of regional 

advisory panels. 

In 2011–12, we re-emphasised our 

commitment to working with our grains 

industry partners by adopting a new brand: 

‘Your GRDC working with you’. To expand 

opportunities for communication, our website 

was extensively updated, and we opened 

new channels such as interactive displays at 

field days, interactive live webcasts, fax and 

SMS information services, and our first phone 

app. Our wide range of information products 

and targeted communication campaigns— 

including support for the Australian Year of the 

Farmer—helped to deliver research outcomes 

and other information to the grains industry and 

the wider community. 

We also expanded our range of resources 

to assist growers and their advisers to make 

decisions, manage risk and optimise profit 

in their farm businesses. New programs 

supported by the GRDC in 2011–12 included 

specialised workshops on grain marketing, 

and the Farm Business Management (FBM) 

Update program. 

We also continued to promote the long-term 

resilience of the Australian grains industry by 

building R&D capability in the industry and 

related research sectors. Our support for 

training and development opportunities ranged 

from the Primary Industry Centre for Science 

Education, which delivered locally relevant 

information on GRDC-supported research to 

more than 6,500 students in years 11 and 12, 

to the Nuffield Australia Farming Scholarships, 

which funded five highly motivated grain 

growers to travel the world to undertake 

research with potential to benefit to their 

local communities. 

17 

GRDC Annual Report 2011–2012 Report from the Chair and Managing Director

18 



The year ahead 

As we reflect on 2011–12 we see a clear picture 

of a grains industry that is working hard to 

secure a profitable, sustainable future through 

astute RD&E. Through the GRDC and its 

research partners, our industry is demonstrating 

a capacity to respond quickly and thoughtfully 

to production challenges and opportunities. 

The GRDC has narrowed the gap between 

research outcomes and grower adoption 

through constant dialogue with growers and 

grower groups, keeping grains research both 

relevant and highly effective. 

This will continue under the Strategic R&D 

Plan 2012–17, supported by six core themes: 

Meeting market requirements; Improving crop 

yield; Protecting your crop; Advancing profitable 

farming systems; Improving your farm’s 

resource base; and Building skills and capacity. 

Within each theme, RD&E investment strategies 

are being developed to deliver practice change 

on farm, for the benefit of both growers and the 

grains industry as a whole. 

The GRDC’s organisational structure and 

processes have been streamlined to most 

effectively apply our resources to achieving the 

outcomes identified for each theme. Our goal 

is to make the industry research levy the best 

investment that grain growers can make. 

We look forward to working with you in 

2012–13. 

Keith Perrett 

Chair 

John Harvey 


Managing Director John Harvey and Chair Keith Perrett launch the GRDC’s Strategic R&D Plan 2012–17 at the 

Australian Grains Industry Conference 2012. Photo: GRDC 

Opposite page: photo by Paul Jones

Part 2—Our Performance 

Corporate performance 20 

Climate change focus 26 

Collaboration 31 

Output Group 1—Practices 34 

Output Group 2—Varieties 46 

Output Group 3—New Products 56 

Output Group 4—Communication 

& Capacity Building 62 

Enabling functions 79 

Commercialisation 81

Corporate performance 

20 



The GRDC’s corporate performance is assessed 

on the basis of formal surveys and analysis. It 

is measured against the corporate strategies 

and performance indicators established in 

the Strategic R&D Plan 2007–12; the Annual 

Operational Plan 2011–12; and the Department 

of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry’s Portfolio 

Budget Statements 2011–12. 

This section describes the GRDC’s corporate 

performance in 2011–12, in terms of: 

• evidence of effective implementation of the 

corporate strategies set out in the Strategic 

R&D Plan 2007–12 

• feedback obtained from grain growers 

Table 7: Corporate overview 

Indicator 

Performance 

Strategy: Coordinate a national grains R&D agenda and portfolio 

Significant evidence of the GRDC taking 

a lead role in coordinating and facilitating 

a national grains R&D agenda, which has 

major impact on grower profitability and 

sustainability 

Key GRDC investments demonstrate 

national coordination with research 

partners 

Strategy: Deliver against Australian Government priorities 

Ongoing endorsement by the Minister 

for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry 

on meeting the Australian Government 

priorities 

• results of the impact assessments of four 

R&D project clusters 

• findings on farm financial performance and 

total factor productivity in the grains industry, 

collated through regular surveys by ABARES 

• results of the third year of information 

gathering under the GRDC–ABARES 

Harvesting Productivity initiative. 

Corporate strategies 

Table 7 provides examples of how the GRDC 

progressed against its performance measures 

for 2011–12 and its objectives and strategies 

for 2007–12. 

The GRDC played an integral role in implementing the Grains Industry National 

Research, Development and Extension Strategy (Grains Industry National RD&E 

Strategy), including by: 

• co-chairing the steering committee 

• having two GRDC executive managers participate in the implementation 

committee meetings 

• supporting three grain growers’ participation in the steering committee and 

the implementation committee 

• funding 50% of the salary and expenses of the executive officer. 

The GRDC invested significantly to increase grains industry RD&E infrastructure 

and capacity, including through: 

• the Australian Export Grains Innovation Centre, a joint venture with the 

Western Australian Agriculture Authority 

• an upgrade of facilities at the IA Watson Research Centre at Narrabri, 

New South Wales 

• leadership of the cross-sectoral soils RD&E strategy endorsed by the 

Primary Industries Standing Committee. 

The GRDC’s Strategic R&D Plan 2007–12 was approved by the Minister for 

Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry on 7 July 2007. The GRDC’s investments 

in 2011–12 addressed the Australian Government’s: 

• National Research Priorities—an environmentally sustainable Australia, 

promoting and maintaining good health, frontier technologies for building 

and transforming Australian industries and safeguarding Australia 

• Rural R&D Priorities—productivity and adding value, supply chain and 

markets, natural resource management, climate variability and climate 

change, biosecurity, innovation skills, and technology. a 

The GRDC’s Strategic R&D Plan 2012–17 and Annual Operational Plan 

2012–13 were approved by the Minister on 19 June 2012.

Table 7: Corporate overview (continued) 

Indicator 

Performance 

Strategy: Grow and leverage total grains R&D investment 

Significant evidence of leveraging total 

grains R&D investment 

Strategy: Ensure R&D is market-driven 

Significant evidence of market signals 

being taken into account in R&D 

investments 

The GRDC continued to act as a catalyst in growing and leveraging total grains 

R&D investment in Australia. For example, for every dollar the GRDC invested: 

• in the national lupin breeding program, it leveraged $1.60 from research 

partners 

• in the Australian Cereal Rust Control program, it leveraged $3.96 from 

research partners 

• in the Climate Champions program, it leveraged an additional $1.00 from 

research partners. 

The majority of the GRDC’s investment attracts contributions from either the 

research partner contracted or other agencies. The most common sources of 

leverage are universities, state government departments and CSIRO. 

The GRDC considered grower RD&E needs and priorities in detail while 

developing the annual operational plan. This was assisted by interaction 

between the GRDC’s three regional panels and growers, advisers and 

researchers. 

In addition, the GRDC sought direction from the grains industry’s formal 

representative organisation, Grain Producers Australia; regional advisory 

committees; and link groups. These processes ensure that investments 

are designed to meet the needs of growers and the wider Australian grains 

industry. 

The GRDC structure and processes ensured engagement with the supply 

chain by: 

• engaging representatives from various parts of the supply chain as GRDC 

panel members 

• connecting with supply chain members through the GRDC panels and 

regional agribusiness reference groups 

• engaging consultants with expertise in the grains supply chain to provide 

investment advice. 

For investment where there will be significant benefit for supply chain 

participants, the GRDC seeks contributions from those expected to benefit. 

The contributions help the GRDC to establish that the particular project is 

definitely needed, and the involvement of supply chain participants helps to 

keep investments on track, highly relevant and likely to produce outputs that 

will be adopted. 

Examples of projects in which the GRDC worked with co-investors from the 

supply chain during 2011–12 include: 

• developing omega-3 canola with Nuseed 

• participating in the Grains & Legumes Nutrition Council with other food 

industry participants, including Kellogg (Australia), George Weston Foods 

and Sanitarium, in the identification and communication of the health 

benefits of grain food products 

• collaborating with CSIRO and Bayer CropScience to further research and 

potentially commercialise a new yield-enhancing gene 

• supporting Wheat Quality Australia Limited, a joint venture with Grain Trade 

Australia that provides wheat variety classification services. 

21 

GRDC Annual Report 2011–2012 Corporate performance 

a Table 5 shows examples of how GRDC-supported projects addressed Australian Government priorities; Appendix A details how 

GRDC investment dollars were apportioned to meet Australian Government priorities.

22 



Grower Survey 

In 2012, the GRDC obtained detailed feedback 

from 1,200 growers across Australia, covering 

the GRDC’s three production regions and 

key agroecological zones, through its Grower 

Survey. The GRDC commissions the Grower 

Survey once every two years. The survey 

helps the GRDC to assess and improve 

its performance, particularly in terms of 

ensuring that research outcomes are being 

communicated effectively to growers. 

The survey results in Table 8 present the GRDC’s 

track record of achievement against selected 

key performance indicators over the period 

from 2004 to 2012. More results are provided in 

the grower survey snapshots in the reports on 

performance for output groups 1, 2 and 4. 

Impact assessments 

The GRDC undertook impact assessment 

studies of four clusters of projects in 2011–12. 

The studies assessed the economic, social 

and environmental benefits arising from GRDC 

investments. They were undertaken through an 

independent consultant, in accordance with the 

guidelines developed by the Council of Rural 

Research and Development Corporation Chairs. 

Table 9 summarises the costs and benefits of 

the project clusters in dollar terms, while Table 

10 summarises the economic, environmental 

and social benefits of the project clusters. 

The GRDC also undertook a consolidated 

analysis of the 33 project clusters which have 

been evaluated since 2007. The key financial 

results of this analysis are highlighted in Table 11. 

Table 8: GRDC performance against selected key performance indicators, 2004 to 2012, 

by proportion of growers surveyed (percent) 

Key performance indicator 2004 2005 2006 2008 2010 2012 

Growers rating GRDC performance very or fairly high 68 72 71 68 69 75 

Growers directly benefiting from grains R&D activities generally in the 

past five years 

82 77 77 76 67 76 

Growers directly benefiting from GRDC activities or initiatives 67 66 68 61 55 67 

Growers confident that grains R&D is addressing threats to 

long-term sustainability of their farm 

76 76 76 73 70 78 

Growers adopting actions to ensure longer term sustainability of farm 92 88 89 86 89 92 

Growers adopting actions to ensure longer term sustainability of 

farm as a result of GRDC-specific activities or initiatives 

Growers influenced in a major way by GRDC information in 

motivating change on farm 

40 40 45 40 42 48 

21 21 18 30 31 25 

Grower awareness of regional panels 42 50 58 55 60 68 

Growers having direct contact with regional panel members 16 20 23 23 23 27 

Note: The Grower Survey was suspended in 2007 as part of the GRDC’s drought response and is now conducted every second year. 

The next survey will be conducted in mid-2014. 

Table 9: Financial benefits identified by impact assessments 

Project cluster 

Benefits 

$m 

(1) 

Costs 

$m 

(2) 

Benefit to 

cost ratio 

(1/2) 

Net value 

$m 

(1–2) 

Climate Champions Program 1.6 0.6 2.9:1 1.0 

Grains Industry Research Scholarships a 

• National benefits 

• Grains industry benefits 

25.2 

8.4 

National Lupin Breeding Program 21.7 5.9 3.7:1 15.8 

National Variety Trials 24.3 20.2 1.2:1 4.0 

3.5 

3.5 

7.2:1 

2.4:1 

21.7 

4.9 

a National benefits arise purely from capacity building; grains industry benefits emanate from the specific work carried out under the 

scholarship projects themselves. 

Note: Dollar amounts are calculated in present value terms.

Table 10 : Benefits identified by impact assessments of GRDC projects 

Economic benefits 

Climate Champions Program 

• Productivity gains by farmers resulting in higher average 

profits. 

• Improved research resource efficiency. 

Grains Industry Research Scholarships 

• Improved crop yields. 

• Reduced costs. 

• Increased demand. 

• Efficiency gains in research resource allocation. 

National Lupin Breeding Program 

• Contribution to future releases of new higher yielding varieties 

with disease and aphid resistance and herbicide tolerance. 

• Potential for increased area of lupins grown in cereal rotations 

with associated productivity and sustainability benefits. 

• Increase in capital value of lupin germplasm in the program 

between 2009 and 2014. 

• Small contribution to promotion of Jenabillup in the 

eastern states. 

• Increased area of lupins grown on mixed enterprise farms 

with benefits to livestock industries. 

National Variety Trials 

• Increased profitability from increased yields, and disease 

resistance due to earlier use of superior varieties. 

Environmental and social benefits 

• Greater adoption of farm practices that improve farm 

environmental stability. 

• Improved industry viability due to greater industry 

preparedness and capacity to adapt to climate change. 

• Improved community viability due to greater 

preparedness by farmers. 

• Increased future research capacity. 

• Improved natural resource management. 

• Increased future research capacity of other plant-based 

industries. 

• Increased future research capacity of other sectors of 

the economy. 

• Increased future research capacity of foreign 

economies due to researchers taking knowledge and 

skills overseas. 

• Reduced use of chemicals (herbicides and fungicides) 

in lupin crops and crops with lupins in the rotations. 

• Improved farmer wellbeing through reduced chemical 

use by farmers. 

• Reduced chemical use resulting in reduced potential 

impact on regional wellbeing. 

• Minor reduction in fungicide use. 

• Enhanced skills and capacity in statistical analysis 

contributing to more efficient variety testing. 

Table 11: Financial results of consolidated analysis of project clusters, 2007–08 to 


Assessed group 

32 project clusters 

(excludes Australian Cereal Rust 

Control Program) 

Benefits 

$m 

(1) 

Costs 

$m 

(2) 

Benefit to 

cost ratio 

(1/2) 

Net value 

$m 

(1–2) 

Rate of 

return 

% 

2,079.0 343.5 6.1:1 1,735.5 38.2 

23 

GRDC Annual Report 2011–2012 Corporate performance 

Farm performance 

This section looks at farm financial performance 

and productivity growth in the grains industry to 

assess the industry-wide impact of the GRDC’s 

corporate strategies. 

In order to monitor farm performance and 

productivity trends in the grains industry and 

other broadacre industries, the GRDC—along 

with other RDCs and the Department of 

Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry—funds 

a range of surveys and analytical research 

conducted by ABARES, in particular its 

annual Australian Agricultural and Grazing 

Industries Survey.

24 



Financial performance 

The Australian Agricultural and Grazing 

Industries Survey results for 2011–12 showed 

that, although grain production levels reached 

a new record high, lower prices for most grains 

together with increases in farm costs resulted in 

a fall in overall cash income for grain-producing 

farms in the past year. In particular: 

• Farm cash income averaged $161,400 per 

grain-producing farm in 2011–12, showing 

an 11 percent decrease compared with the 

average grain-producing farm cash income 

of $182,000 in 2010–11. 

• The average farm cash income of cropping 

specialist farms fell to $213,000, down 12 

percent from $241,300 in 2010–11, but still 

35 percent above the industry average for 

the previous 10 years. 

• For mixed livestock–cropping farms, average 

farm cash income fell to $107,000, down 16 

percent from $127,900 in 2010–11, but still 

25 percent above the industry average for 

the past 10 years. 

A regional breakdown shows that average farm 

cash income for grain-producing farms fell by 

around 30 percent to $79,000 per farm in the 

Northern Region; declined by 17 percent to 

$171,500 per farm in the Southern Region; and 

rose by 21 percent to $238,200 per farm in the 

Western Region. 

Western Australia was the standout as a 

result of the marked turnaround in winter 

crop production in 2011–12 compared with 

the drought-reduced production of 2010–11. 

In contrast, average farm cash income for 

cropping specialist farms declined in New South 

Wales, South Australia and Victoria because of 

lower winter crop production and lower grain 

and oilseed prices. 

Farm costs for grain-producing farms increased 

by around 2 percent in 2011–12, mainly as a 

result of the increased costs of harvesting and 

marketing the larger crop in Western Australia 

and Queensland, together with a general 

increase in expenditure on fertiliser, fuel, crop 

chemicals and repairs and maintenance. 

Expenditure on interest payments fell during 

2011–12, mainly because of lower average debt 

and a reduction in interest rates. 

Total factor productivity 

Total factor productivity (TFP) measures outputs 

relative to total inputs used to produce the 

output. Technological advances, improvements 

in management, and efficient exploitation of 

economies of scale all influence the rate of 

growth in productivity. Accordingly, productivity 

growth can be driven by producers generating 

the same amount of output with fewer inputs, 

increasing output with the same amount of 

inputs, or increasing output at a faster rate 

than inputs. 

The latest TFP results for broadacre agriculture 

available from ABARES are for the period 

between 1977–78 and 2009–10. Results 

to 2011–12 will become available in two 

years time. 

As shown in Table 12, cropping specialists 

and mixed livestock–cropping farms achieved 

average annual TFP growth of 1.6 percent and 

1.1 percent, respectively, while the broadacre 

industry average was 1.2 percent. 

Over the past 30 years, productivity in the grains 

industry has been driven by: 

• technological advances, such as larger 

machinery, GPS guidance systems, new 

herbicides and pesticides, the ability to make 

genetic improvements to varieties, and new 

crop varieties 

• improved farming practices, such as 

precision agriculture and ‘cropping 

packages’ that bring multiple technologies 

together in readily adoptable farming 

systems. 

During that 30-year period, the productivity of 

cropping specialists has grown more strongly in 

the Western Region (2.0 percent a year) than in 

the Northern Region (1.7 percent) and Southern 

Region (1.5 percent), as shown in Table 12. 

In general, Western Region growers face less 

variable climate and topography and manage 

larger, more homogeneous cropping systems.

Table 12: Average total factor productivity growth by broadacre industry, 1977–78 to 

2009–10 (percent per year) 

Industry Input growth Output growth Total factor 

productivity growth 

Industry 

Total broadacre –0.8 0.4 1.2 

Cropping specialists 1.2 2.8 1.6 

Mixed livestock–crops –1.7 –0.5 1.1 

Beef 0.0 1.5 1.4 

Sheep –2.4 –1.9 0.5 

Region 

Northern –0.4 1.3 1.7 

Southern 1.6 3.1 1.5 

Western 2.3 4.3 2.0 

All regions 1.2 2.8 1.6 

Source: Based on data from the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences report Australian Grains: 

Financial Performance of Grain Producing Farms, 2009–10 to 2011–12, August 2012, Canberra. 

Harvesting Productivity 

The GRDC–ABARES Harvesting Productivity 

initiative was established in 2009–10 to 

significantly increase understanding of the 

drivers and constraints of productivity growth 

in the Australian grains industry and identify 

where GRDC investments should be targeted to 

improve industry productivity over the long term. 

The objective of the latest study under the 

initiative was to evaluate the economic effect of 

publicly funded agricultural R&D and extension 

by investigating the relationship between 

public investments in R&D and extension and 

broadacre TFP growth in Australia over the 

period from 1952–53 to 2006–07. The average 

short-run (year-to-year) and long-run effects 

of public investment in R&D and extension on 

broadacre TFP were also examined. 

Key findings in 2011–12 included the following: 

• The analysis of the dynamic relationship 

indicates that public R&D strategies that 

invest over the long term eventually result 

in higher returns than strategies that invest 

over the short term. 

• Although slowing broadacre productivity 

growth could prompt policymakers to 

consider a temporary increase in R&D 

funding, a short-term response is not 

efficient and will not yield the highest payoff. 

• Notwithstanding the nature of ongoing 

debates concerning the extent to which 

government should fund R&D, even plausible 

and immediate increases in public investment 

are unlikely to improve broadacre productivity 

growth significantly for many years, given the 

lag effects of adoption of R&D outputs. 

• In comparing alternative strategies to 

increase productivity growth, it is important 

to consider the likely trade-offs between 

investing in R&D and investing in extension. 

Increased investment in extension in the 

short run can enhance TFP growth by 

enhancing the adoption of currently available 

technologies and knowledge. Although 

individual projects should be evaluated on 

their own merits, at an aggregate level, 

reallocating existing R&D funding toward 

extension is unlikely to maximise long-term 

productivity growth. 

During 2012–13 the initiative will investigate 

whether state moratoria delaying the 

introduction of genetically modified (GM) 

crops are in the best interest of the grains 

industry, taking GM canola and GM wheat 

as case studies. 

25 

GRDC Annual Report 2011–2012 Corporate performance

Climate change focus 

26 



Like any industry that depends on natural 

resources, the Australian grains industry is 

exposed to the environmental and economic 

effects of climate change. Recognising the need 

for an informed and coordinated response, the 

GRDC applies a climate change strategy across 

its business. 

The GRDC invests in R&D: 

• to better understand how natural resource 

management may help the grains industry 

to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 

• to identify options and develop technology 

to assist the industry to adapt to climate 

change and variability. 

This work is translated into awareness raising 

and practical resources to help grain growers 

respond to climate change and mitigate 

greenhouse gas emissions in the short, 

medium and long terms. 

Nitrous oxide emissions 

The Nitrous Oxide Research Program 

has a network of automated greenhouse 

gas–measuring systems situated in all major 

agroclimatic zones and farming systems 

in Australia. It is the most comprehensive 

agricultural nitrous oxide monitoring network 

in the world. 

The network has captured a wide range of 

emissions data typical of the diverse natures 

of Australian soils and agricultural systems. 

For example, coarse-textured cropping soils 

of Western Australia have been shown to emit 

50 grams of nitrous oxide nitrogen per hectare 

per year, while high-rainfall fertile pastures 

of southern Victoria experience episodes in 

which more than 1 kilogram of nitrous oxide 

is emitted per hectare per day when cultivated 

for cropping. 

The data have also shown that land use and 

farming systems history have a major impact 

on nitrous oxide emissions, especially when 

soil moisture levels are high (and conducive 

to denitrification). For example, in high-rainfall 

southern Victoria, annual nitrous oxide 

emissions from cropped soils which have just 

come out of pasture may exceed 35 kilograms 

(in the absence of nitrogen addition). Similarly, 

in residue-retained cane systems of northern 

Queensland, annual nitrous oxide emissions 

average 16 kilograms per hectare. 

Specific findings of the program in 2011–12 

include: 

• In the western grain-growing region, 

incorporating a grain legume in a crop 

rotation can lower greenhouse gas emissions 

by up to 35 percent per tonne of wheat, by 

reducing the need for production, transport 

and hydrolysis of urea. This effect has also 

been confirmed in rain-fed cropping studies 

in eastern New South Wales. The extent 

to which incorporating grain legumes in 

cropping rotations lowers emissions depends 

upon the amount of urea that is saved by 

substituting grain legume–fixed nitrogen for 

synthetic nitrogen fertiliser. 

• Liming acidic cropping soils in Western 

Australia may decrease nitrous oxide 

emissions resulting from the nitrification 

process following summer/autumn rainfall 

events, and increase methane uptake 

throughout the year. Liming will decrease 

total greenhouse gas emissions from wheat 

production only if decreased soil nitrous oxide 

emissions and increased methane uptake 

are not offset by increased carbon dioxide 

emissions resulting from the production, 

transport and dissolution of the applied lime. 

• During the growth of three different crop 

legumes (chickpeas, faba beans and 

field peas) in the medium-rainfall northern 

grain-growing zones, nitrous oxide emissions 

from soils were found to be very low. All were 

significantly less than the emissions from 

canola crops treated with urea fertiliser. 

• At the program’s site at Tamworth, New 

South Wales, based on nearly three 

years of continuous measurement in four 

cropping rotations, a fourfold difference 

in the cumulative nitrous oxide emissions 

was observed between the rotation with no 

added nitrogen and the rotation with high 

nitrogen inputs (as shown in Figure 10). 

Heavy rainfall immediately after both wheat 

and sorghum sowing events led to significant 

nitrous oxide emissions in crops treated with 

nitrogen (applied as urea).

Figure 10: Cumulative nitrous oxide emissions from crop rotation treatments at Tamworth, 

New South Wales, plotted against daily rainfall 

1600 

Cumulative N 2 

O emitted (g N / ha) 

1400 


1000 

800 

600 

400 

200 

Canola & 

chickpea 

sowing 

Canola & 

chickpea 

harvest 

Wheat 

sowing 

Sorghum 

sowing 

Wheat 

harvest 

Sorghum 

harvest 

Barley 

chickpea 

sowing 

Barley 

chickpea 

harvest 

0 

Jun 

Jul 

2009 2010 2011 2012 

Aug 

Sep 

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27 

Daily rainfall (mm) 

100 

90 

80 

70 

60 

50 

40 

30 

20 

10 

0 

Jun 

Jul 

Canola+N___Wheat+N___Barley+N 

Chickpea___Wheat+N___Barley 

Chickpea___Wheat___Chickpea 

Chickpea___Sorghum+N 

2009 2010 2011 


Aug 

Sep 

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GRDC Annual Report 2011–2012 Climate change focus 

Gas collection chambers measure nitrous oxide in a canola crop at a trial site at Buntine, Western Australia. Photo: GRDC

28 



Soil carbon sequestration 

A partnership between the GRDC, CSIRO, 

the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and 

Forestry, state government departments and 

universities, the Soil Carbon Research Program 

has quantified the soil carbon stocks that exist 

under various management practices across 

Australia’s agricultural regions. 

The program collects soil samples to develop a 

snapshot of the stock of soil organic carbon in 

cropping soils across Australia. In 2011–12, the 

program also looked at evidence of relationships 

between agricultural management practices and 

stored carbon stocks. 

The research found that, within the top 30 

centimetres of the soil, statistically significant 

differences in stored carbon stocks were 

often not detected despite strong variations 

in the management practices assessed (for 

example, continuous pasture versus continuous 

cropping). The inability to detect statistically 

significant effects may occur where the 

variability between the samples collected for 

specific management treatments is high. 

The evidence also showed that differences 

in how individual landowners implement 

management practices, in response to personal 

preferences or business requirements, may 

contribute significantly to the distribution of 

A neutron density meter allows researchers to assess soil 

bulk density within minutes. Photo: CSIRO Land and Water 

stored carbon. For example, within a given 

region the water use efficiency of continuous 

cropping systems may range from 60 percent to 

90 percent because of landowner abilities and 

preferences. Under these conditions, differences 

in the input of carbon to soil will result and soil 

carbon values will vary, even under similar soil, 

climate and topographic conditions. 

A particular management practice that has 

the potential to increase soil carbon may 

result in a loss of soil carbon if poorly applied. 

Equally, very good application of a practice 

that has been shown to decrease soil carbon 

on average may result in increased soil carbon 

stocks if levels of carbon capture and return to 

the soil are high enough. 

A researcher uses diffuse reflectance mid-infrared spectroscopy to analyse soil samples as part of the national Soil Carbon 

Research Program. Photo: CSIRO Land and Water

A researcher uses a vehicle-mounted hydraulic soil 

sampler to obtain cores for testing soil carbon. 

Photo: CSIRO Land and Water 

Since soil organic carbon stocks represent 

the balance between inputs and losses, net 

productivity, rather than management practices, 

is most likely to be the primary driver of carbon 

stocks. The program is considering future 

research projects aimed at providing landowners 

with targets for carbon capture (production) and 

carbon return to soil within defined management 

practices, rather than just suggestions about the 

adoption of particular practices. 

Managing Climate 

Variability 

The Managing Climate Variability program is 

now in its third five-year phase. The program 

aims to help farmers to manage risk and 

make business decisions using reliable climate 

forecasts, tools to translate the forecasts into 

applications, and the necessary knowledge to 

use forecasting resources effectively. 

In 2011–12, gains were made in improving 

weather forecast accuracy, particularly for 

multiweek forecasting. With the support of 

the program, the Bureau of Meteorology is 

developing the science and associated products 

necessary to form a multiweek forecast service 

for Australia. Such a service would fill the 

prediction capability gap between weather 

forecasts and seasonal outlooks. 

As described in the GRDC’s Annual Report 

2010–11, the Bureau of Meteorology and 

CSIRO have developed a dynamic climate 

model, the Predictive Ocean Atmosphere 

Model for Australia (POAMA), which shows 

potential as a multiweek prediction tool. In 

2011–12, POAMA was successfully upgraded 

to a new version, POAMA 2, which includes 

enhancements specifically aimed at multiweek 

forecasting. 

POAMA 2 shows indications of useful skill for 

forecasts of rainfall and temperature for the 

impending fortnight, and even the subsequent 

fortnight for certain regions and at certain 

times of the year. For forecasting two weeks 

in advance, the most skilful periods are winter 

and spring for rainfall and spring for maximum 

temperature, and the skill tends to be focused 

over eastern Australia. 

Forecast skill is found to be increased during 

extremes of the El Niño Southern Oscillation, 

the Indian Ocean Dipole and the Southern 

Annular Mode (SAM). Compared to those of the 

previous version (POAMA 1.5), the multiweek 

forecasts of temperature and rainfall over 

Australia are more skilful and reliable, and there 

is higher skill in predicting the Madden Julian 

Oscillation, the SAM and atmospheric blocking. 

The multiweek experimental products and skill 

assessments can be viewed via the POAMA 

website, poama.bom.gov.au. 

Also in 2011–12, the Managing Climate 

Variability program supported work to 

improve the forecasting of heat waves and 

prediction of the onset of the wet season in 

northern Australia. 

Adapting wheat to 

changing patterns in 

frost and heat events 

Extreme temperatures, which can severely 

reduce wheat yield, have been shown to be 

increasing. In 2011–12, with support from the 

GRDC, CSIRO conducted an analysis of past 

and projected future climates that highlighted 

the substantial spatial variability in frost and heat 

events across Australia’s grain-growing regions. 

As projected, the last frost and first heat events 

occur earlier in the season over time. It is 

predicted that, by 2050: 

29 

GRDC Annual Report 2011–2012 Climate change focus

30 



• the target window for sowing, defined as 

risk lower than 10 percent for frost (below 

zero degrees Celsius), will occur up to two 

months earlier 

• the target widow for flowering, defined as 

lower than 30 percent risk for extreme heat 

(above 35 degrees Celsius), will occur up to 

one month earlier. 

Short-season varieties had a bigger shift 

in predicted target sowing windows and 

fewer changes in phenology than did 

medium-season and long-season varieties. 

Increasing temperatures also shortened the 

wheat-growing season by four to six weeks, 

especially during preflowering, as warmer 

winters accelerated crop development. 

The analysis suggests that, as far as favourable 

rainfall and modern technology allow, early 

sowing and selection of genotypes with longer 

growing seasons could be the best strategies 

to adapt to future climates. 

National Adaptation and 

Mitigation Initiative 

The National Adaptation and Mitigation Initiative, 

which concluded in June 2012, was jointly 

funded by the GRDC and the Climate Change 

Research Program managed by the Department 

of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. 

The specific objectives of the project included: 

• demonstrating practices that reduce net 

greenhouse gas emissions in the form of 

nitrous oxide 

• assessing the emissions implications of 

demonstrated adaptations, to identify 

possible maladaptations 

• increasing farmers’ awareness and 

understanding of the viability of mitigation 

strategies and practices to manage them. 

To achieve its objectives, the project established 

a network of growers and farming groups to 

demonstrate farming systems strategies that 

address adaption to climate change impacts 

and mitigation of greenhouse gases, including 

established techniques and new research 

outcomes. 

In 2011–12, as part of the initiative, the 

Department of Primary Industries, Victoria, 

conducted a national survey of 1,743 grain 

and mixed farming businesses to gain an 

understanding of grain grower knowledge 

and attitudes regarding climate change. 

The survey results show that many respondents 

have made changes on farm to manage the 

impact of climate, the most common being 

maintaining stubble over fallow ground 

(88 percent of respondents) and using no-till 

systems (80 percent). 

Attitudes to climate change showed a 

considerable amount of diversity among farming 

businesses. Many respondents indicated that 

they consider climate variability to be part of 

natural variations and do not acknowledge 

changes in climate at all. Most agreed that they 

do not take climate change into account when 

thinking about the future. However, when asked 

specifically about particular effects of climate 

change (such as effects on rainfall, temperature 

and seasonal variations), a large proportion 

(47 percent) agreed that water supply on farm 

concerns them. 

Attitudes to greenhouse gases varied. Only a 

minority of respondents (14 percent) believe that 

their farm is a net emitter. A third of respondents 

are unsure whether their farm is a net emitter, 

a storer or neutral. 

Overall, lack of information was identified as 

the most common reason for not planning 

on-farm changes related to climate change. 

Some respondents said that they have 

already implemented what changes they can 

(26 percent), while others said that they do not 

intend to change because they are sceptical 

about climate change (12 percent) or about the 

potential benefits to their operation (10 percent). 

Farm-specific temperature and rainfall records can assist 

growers to respond to seasonal variations. 

Photo: Emma Leonard

Collaboration 

As described in Part 1, collaboration is at the 

heart of the GRDC’s approach to enhancing the 

profitability and sustainability of the Australian 


Strategic approach 

Table 13 describes how the GRDC used 

effective collaboration to implement the four 

corporate strategies set out in its Strategic R&D 

Plan 2007–12. 

Table 13: The GRDC’s collaborative approach to achieving corporate goals 

Partners 

Approach 

Strategy: Deliver against Australian Government priorities 

Research bodies; government 

agencies; participants from all sectors 

of the Australian grains industry; 

rural R&D corporations (RDCs) and 

participants from other rural industries 

Work with partners to identify and respond to major rural issues, such as climate 

change, water use efficiency and soil health. 

Share information on management issues such as project management, legal 

agreements, records management and intellectual property. 

Support and participate in cross-sectoral programs such as: 

• Grain and Graze 2 

• National Integrated Weed Management Initiative 

• National Invertebrate Pest Initiative 

• National Working Party on Pesticide Applications 

• Managing Climate Variability 

• Crop Sequencing 

• Water Use Efficiency 

• National Adaptation and Mitigation Initiative 

• Nitrous Oxide Research Program 

• Soil Carbon Research Program 

• cross-RDC evaluations of project clusters. 

Strategy: Coordinate a national grains R&D agenda and portfolio 



of the Australian grains industry; RDCs 

and participants from other rural 

industries 

Strategy: Ensure R&D is market-driven 

Research bodies; pre-breeding 

and breeding companies and peak 

bodies; grain growers and grower 

groups; agribusinesses; commercial 

companies; participants from other 

rural industries; end users 

Play a leadership role in implementing the Grains Industry National Research, 

Development and Extension Strategy. 

Work with partners to tackle industry-wide issues such as: 

• plant genetic resources and pre-breeding 

• crop breeding and variety trials 

• farming practices, including conservation farming and precision agriculture 

• integrated management approaches for weeds, pests and diseases 

• environmental issues, including climate change, salinity, water use efficiency and 

soil health 

• value chain issues, including end point royalties 

• capacity building and extension of R&D outcomes. 

Consult carefully and widely when designing investments, to ensure that resources 

are allocated to projects with clear paths to market for technology and extension 

pathways for knowledge. 

Facilitate communication between parties, especially pre-breeding researchers and 

breeders, to ensure that commercial drivers are reflected in pre-breeding programs. 

Develop more effective tools for identifying and meeting market preferences, such 

as variety classification. 

31 

GRDC Annual Report 2011–2012 Collaboration

32 



Table 13: The GRDC’s collaborative approach to achieving corporate goals (continued) 

Partners 

Approach 

Strategy: Grow and leverage total grains R&D investment 



of the Australian grains industry; RDCs 

and participants from other rural 

industries; commercialisation partners, 

including breeding companies, 

agribusiness, biotech companies and 

other public and private organisations 

International activities 

Because Australia possesses few indigenous 

plant species related to its primary grain crops, 

collaborations with key international research 

centres are essential for ensuring that Australian 

plant breeders are able to obtain the genetic 

material necessary to produce superior varieties. 

The GRDC has long-established strategic 

research alliances with two centres of the 

Consultative Group on International Agricultural 

Research (CGIAR): the International Maize 

and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) 

in Mexico, and the International Center 

for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas 

(ICARDA) in Syria. 

Together, the three organisations deliver the 

CIMMYT–Australia–ICARDA Germplasm 

Evaluation (CAIGE) program, which: 

• coordinates joint research projects designed 

to deliver benefit to Australian grain growers 

as well as to farmers in the developing world 

• facilitates Australian access to valuable 

germplasm and expertise 

• improves information flow between Australian 

and overseas plant breeders 

• coordinates annual visits by Australian wheat 

breeders to CIMMYT or ICARDA for the 

purpose of selecting germplasm of relevance 

to the Australia production environment. 

Find and engage with potential investors, in Australia and overseas, including by: 

• conducting communication activities to raise awareness of Australia’s excellent 

reputation in rural RD&E and the successful outcomes of GRDC investments 

• supporting scientific exchanges, such as conferences, travel awards and 

research scholarships, to strengthen relationships among researchers, growers 

and advisers. 

Cooperate with research partners, and promote cooperation within the grains 

industry, to optimise economies and synergies. 

Provide capital at crucial stages in the development of technology and 

intellectual property. 

Invest in technology that would not be available to Australian growers without the 

support of a partnership approach, such as the Long-chain Omega-3 Canola Oil 

Research Collaboration. 

Ensure that the Australian grains industry has access to important technologies 

in cases where the technology owners might not otherwise bring them into 

Australian markets. 

Make use of Australia’s intellectual property protections, such as plant breeder’s 

rights, as an incentive for investment. 

In 2011–12, the GRDC conducted a 

performance review of the projects it funds at 

CIMMYT and ICARDA, assessing performance 

against project objectives and fit with Australian 

strategic research objectives. 

The review found that all GRDC-supported 

CIMMYT and ICARDA projects were fulfilling 

contractual obligations and providing Australian 

breeders with targeted access to wheat, barley 

and pulse germplasm containing traits of value 

to Australian grain production systems. Targeted 

pre-breeding activities funded by the GRDC in 

the CIMMYT had identified wheat germplasm 

An International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry 

Areas (ICARDA) visit to the GRDC in September 2011. From 

left: Vince Logan (GRDC Executive Manager Commercial), 

Omid Asari (GRDC Project Manager Traits), Mahmoud Solh 

(ICARDA Director General), John Harvey (GRDC Managing 

Director), Kamil Shideed (ICARDA Assistant Director General 

International Cooperation & Communication), Jorge Mayer 

(GRDC Manager Yield and Quality Traits). Photo: GRDC

A CIMMYT–Australia–ICARDA Germplasm Evaluation (CAIGE) Meeting in October 2011. From left: (back row) Imtiaz Muhammed 

(ICARDA), Keith Perrett, Omid Ansari and John Harvey (GRDC), Richard Trethowan (University of Sydney), Jorge Mayer (GRDC); 

(front row) Brondwen MacLean (GRDC), Sandra Micallef (University of Sydney), Francis Ogbonnaya (ICARDA), Julio Huerta 

(CIMMYT). Photo: GRDC 

with crown rot resistance superior to current 

Australian resistance benchmarks, while 

ICARDA wheat lines had provided enhanced 

yield under severe water deficit conditions in 

Western Australia. 

The review also identified opportunities for 

collaboration to significantly raise wheat yield 

potential through involvement in the CGIAR’s 

strategic initiatives, such as the Wheat Yield 

Consortium and the Wheat program. 

The GRDC also hosts visitors from overseas, 

as an opportunity to reinforce cooperative 

relationships and improve understanding of the 

drivers of the global grains industry. In 2011–12, 

noteworthy visitors included: 

• the Chief Executive Officer and the 

Director of Research and Extension of 

the Foundation for Arable Research, 

New Zealand, on 8 September 2011 

• five guests from ICARDA—the Director 

General; a senior research scientist 

and the Assistant Director General 

International Cooperation & Communication 

on 30 September 2011; and a wheat breeder 

and a chickpea breeder on 18 October 2011 

• a wheat pathologist from CIMMYT, on 

18 October 2011 

• two directors of wheat-breeding activities 

for Bayer CropScience, from France and the 

United States, on 31 October 2011 

• a professor of molecular genetics and 

plant biology from the University of Alberta, 

Canada, on 20 December 2011 

• an 11-person Chinese delegation from 

the Henan Academy of Agricultural 

Sciences, Henan Agricultural University, 

Luohe Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 

Kaifeng Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 

Zhoukou Academy of Agricultural 

Sciences and Henan Tianmin Seed Co. Ltd, 

on 2 March 2012 

• an emeritus professor of plant sciences from 

the University of Saskatchewan, Canada, 

on 21–26 May 2012 

• a research geneticist from the United States 

Department of Agriculture Grain Legume 

Genetics and Physiology Research Unit, 

on 18–22 June 2012. 

Collaborative projects 

Most of the RD&E activities described in this 

annual report were supported by the GRDC in 

collaboration with research partners, such as 

government agencies, research organisations, 

plant breeders, seed companies, agricultural 

companies and advisers, and grain marketers, 

exporters and end users. 

In particular: 

• Tables 3 and 5 provide examples of 

collaborations that directly addressed the 

R&D priorities of Australian grain growers and 

the Australian Government. 

• Table 7 provides examples of collaborations 

that helped the GRDC to achieve its strategic 

corporate objectives. 

• The reports on performance for the four 

output groups describe collaborations that 

assisted the GRDC to fulfil its performance 

objectives and achieve its outcome. 

• Appendixes B and C provide details of the 

GRDC’s RD&E investments. 

33 

GRDC Annual Report 2011–2012 Collaboration

Output Group 1—Practices 

34 



The integration of natural resource management 

practices into cropping systems is essential 

for the long-term viability of the grains industry. 

The Practices output group developed and 

promoted innovative and integrated practices 

and technologies to increase the grains 

industry’s capacity for on-farm change, 

particularly in the areas of soil constraints, water 

and nutrient use, crop threats, environmental 

variability, agronomic improvements, and 

biosecurity. Through the Practices output group, 

the GRDC aligned sustainable production 

systems research at a farm level with broader, 

community-based land use initiatives. 

The output group was focused on improving the 

timeliness, relevance and quality of information 

packages on offer to customers. Alliances 

between growers and advisers have become 

increasingly important in ensuring that new and 

improved varieties, practices and technologies 

are integrated into farming systems. 

Recognising that information needs and 

preferred delivery mechanisms differ according 

to production region, enterprise mix and 

individual circumstances, the Practices 

output group packaged and tailored regionally 

specific information and delivered it to growers 

and advisers through appropriate networks. 

The further development of research and 

delivery platforms and relationships with 

extension networks will continue to accelerate 

RD&E outcomes. 

Table 15 summarises the achievements of the 

Practices output group against its performance 

measures for 2011–12 and its objectives and 

strategies for 2007–12. The following sections 

describe some of the results of the output 

group’s investments during the year. 

Dual-purpose crops 

In the past decade, the emergence of 

long-season, high-value, disease-resistant 

wheat varieties that can be grazed by stock 

in winter with minimal impact on grain yield 

has created a significant opportunity for mixed 

farmers in the high-rainfall zones to increase 

farm income by increasing winter stocking 

rates while maintaining or increasing the grain 

production area on farm. The recent 

CONTENTS 

Dual-purpose crops 

Weed management 

Pest management 

Disease management 

Pesticide application 

Farm business management 

National Variety Trials workshops 

Regional Cropping Solutions 

Case studies 

Grower survey snapshot 

Practices overview 

What’s in the RD&E pipeline for 2012–13? 

demonstration that canola can also be managed 

as a dual-purpose crop in these systems has 

presented further opportunities to increase the 

productivity of mixed farming systems within the 

high-rainfall zone. 

With support from the GRDC, a team of CSIRO 

scientists has been investigating new strategies 

to capture synergies in crop and livestock 

production by integrating dual-purpose crops 

into mixed farming systems. 

The project has combined previous work on 

dual-purpose cereal and canola in an attempt 

to derive new farming systems in which pasture, 

dual-purpose cereal and dual-purpose canola 

are integrated to provide producers with extra 

options and, ultimately, increased profit. 

As well as defining new productive mixed 

farming systems for high-rainfall areas, the 

project has provided robust guidelines for 

the management of livestock, crops and 

pastures, including managing the resource base 

(protecting the soil) by resting pastures during 

critical periods. 

The results of the team’s work have been 

rapidly adopted, with significant effect, in 

south-eastern Australia. The project has been 

extended to other areas, including the high- and

Jen and Rob Egerton-Warburton of Mobrup, Western 

Australia, check the growth of a crop before moving sheep 

onto the paddock for grazing. Photo: Nicole Baxter 

medium-rainfall zones of Western Australia and 

parts of the Northern Region such as Armidale, 

New South Wales, and the Darling Downs, 

Queensland. 

Weed management 

The Australian Herbicide Resistance Initiative, 

led by the University of Western Australia and 

supported by the GRDC, the Rural Industries 

Research and Development Corporation and 

the Australian Research Council, has helped the 

grains industry to improve weed management 

strategies by increasing knowledge and 

understanding of herbicide resistance. This is 

a significant contribution towards sustainable 

cropping systems and a profitable future for the 


In 2011–12, the initiative delivered results on 

the variability between weed populations in 

developing resistance to the new selective 

herbicide Sakura®. It was the first time that 

studies on the potential resistance risks of a 

new herbicide had been completed before the 

product was released. The findings have been 

incorporated into the resistance management 

program for the product. 

The program’s research on the evolution 

of herbicide resistance through recurrent 

selection at sublethal herbicide doses has 

established that: 

• cross-pollination is a significant factor 

• ryegrass can rapidly evolve polygenic 

herbicide resistance, but this effect can be 

minimised using herbicides in conditions and 

doses that cause high mortality. 

Research on resistance at sites targeted by 

ACCase (acetyl coenzyme A carboxylase) 

herbicides provided insight into resistance 

evolution in polyploid species versus diploid 

species. Further work, on ALS (acetolactate 

synthase) resistance mechanisms, provided 

mutation identification tools as well as molecular 

markers for rapid diagnosis of resistance. 

Research is underway in the Southern Region 

to identify the reasons why emerging weed 

issues are arising, through targeted biological 

and ecological studies on emerging weed 

species, and to recommend practical solutions 

where possible. The project has begun to 

develop a standard protocol for determining soil 

disturbance by disc seeders and tine seeders, 

to improve the effectiveness of soil-incorporated 

herbicide use. 

Through the Australian Glyphosate Sustainability 

Working Group, of which the GRDC is a 

member, GRDC-supported research is 

underway to support greater adoption of 

strategies likely to delay or manage the 

development of resistance to glyphosate, 

paraquat and Group I herbicides. The project 

consists of a combination of glasshouse 

research and field research. 

Pest management 

Integrated pest management 

With support from the GRDC, the cross-sectoral 

National Invertebrate Pest Initiative focused 

on delivering new strategies to improve the 

effectiveness of integrated pest management— 

and, in turn, the commercial return from the 

adoption of integrated pest management— 

during 2011–12. 

To help growers and advisers improve their pest 

management decisions, the initiative also: 

• completed a review of pest thresholds for 

several control and beneficial species 

• provided significant intelligence updates and 

advice through services such as The Beat 

Sheet, in the Northern Region; PestFacts, 

in the Southern Region; and PestFax, in the 


• improved materials for invertebrate 

identification training by revising the 

publication I Spy: Insects of Southern 

Australian Broadacre Farming Systems, 

Identification Manual and Training Resource. 

35 

GRDC Annual Report 2011–2012 Output Group 1—Practices

36 



Insecticide resistance 

In 2011–12, the GRDC supported research to 

deliver baseline data on insecticide sensitivity for 

several key invertebrate pests, and to develop 

a strategic surveillance program to monitor 

insecticide resistance in green peach aphid 

across all Australian grain-growing regions. 

The results will contribute to the development 

of resistance management guidelines, 

incorporating improved knowledge of resistance 

mechanisms to prevent resistance development 

in green peach aphid and other pest species. 

During the year, redlegged earth mite 

populations in South Australia, Victoria and 

Western Australia were screened for insecticide 

resistance. This work aims to improve 

understanding of the current distribution and 

potential for future spread of resistance in this 

species. At this stage, resistance has been 

detected in Western Australia only, and it 

appears that management practices rather than 

environmental factors are limiting the spread 

of resistance. The findings from this project will 

lead to improved control options for target mites 

and lucerne flea. 

Pest-suppressive landscapes 

Two observations have triggered interest in 

developing natural pest control as part of 

integrated pest management strategies at the 

scale of field, farm and landscape: 

• Mobile pests do not recognise field or farm 

boundaries, and attempts at controlling 

them using field-based approaches have 

often failed. 

• Some landscapes appear less prone to 

invertebrate pest infestations than others, 

suggesting that there are features of 

landscapes that may be managed to 

create more pest-suppressive landscapes. 

A project funded by the GRDC in conjunction 

with CSIRO, the Department of Agriculture and 

Food, Western Australia, and the Department 

of Employment, Economic Development and 

Innovation, Queensland, has conducted field 

experiments to study the sources of habitats 

for pests and their natural predators, assess 

the movement of pests and predators between 

habitats, and determine the time to colonisation 

of pests and predators during crop emergence. 

The experiments were conducted in areas of 

the Darling Downs, Queensland, the southern 

mixed farming region of New South Wales, and 

the Stirling Range, Western Australia. Each 

experiment monitored two landscape types, one 

low in native vegetation (less than 10 percent) 

and the other high in native vegetation (greater 

than 10 percent). The findings included: 

• Pests are consistently found in native 

vegetation in low numbers throughout the 

year. Even in peak periods, the populations 

in native vegetation are smaller than the 

populations in some of the crops monitored, 

such as cotton or sorghum. 

• In New South Wales, large numbers of pests 

are found in lucerne (up to 70 per square 

metre) and grass pasture (approximately 

30 per metre). Lower pest densities are 

found within and near to native vegetation, 

demonstrating the ecosystem service that 

having native vegetation strategically placed 

near crops can provide. 

• In native vegetation, beneficial predator 

populations remain consistently high 

throughout the year, whereas in crops they 

fluctuate and are not generally present over 

winter. In landscapes with either high or low 

proportions of native vegetation, predators 

are present at higher densities than they are 

within the crop. The presence of predators 

in native vegetation creates spillover pest 

control effects into nearby crops. 

The finalisation of the project will include 

modelling to determine how much vegetation 

is needed to provide a level of beneficial 

pest control, and how vegetation should 

be placed within the cropping landscape to 

optimise the benefits. 

Disease management 

Supported by the GRDC, the Australian Cereal 

Rust Control Program contributes to the 

protection of Australian cereal crops against 

rust diseases by providing: 

• timely warnings to growers of the threat of 

new rust pathotypes 

• new genetic sources of rust resistance and 

technologies to allow the introduction of 

these resistances into cereal germplasm 

suitable for growing in Australia 

• support to entities involved in improving 

cereal crops through breeding for rust 

resistance.

The program has helped to reduce 

dependency on pesticides, and greatly reduced 

both the probability and the likely impact 

of occurrences of rust diseases in cereals, 

particularly in areas of high risk, by ensuring 

genetic diversity and enabling rapid response 

to sudden pathogen changes. 

Banding of new fungicides is likely to be an 

important tool to help growers to protect their 

crops from root disease caused by Rhizoctonia 

fungal pathogens. The program expects to 

develop label recommendations to enable 

growers to use this technology within four years. 

The use of new fungicides to reduce yield losses 

caused by rhizoctonia disease in wheat and 

barley is expected to save millions of dollars for 

growers in the Southern Region. The greatest 

benefits are expected to be achieved by 

growers using minimum-till seeding systems 

in districts with low to medium rainfall. 

To help the grains industry respond to future 

fungicide resistance risks, the program 

is developing tests to measure fungicide 

sensitivity and determine the presence of known 

mutations associated with fungicide resistance. 

This research has been applied to strobilurin, 

triazole and benzimidazole fungicides and to 

Stagonospora nodorum and the pathogens that 

cause tan spot, net blotch, powdery mildew, 

ascochyta blight and botrytis. It will determine 

the extent and impact of fungicide resistance on 

major pathogens of major crops to all registered 

at risk fungicides. The program will use the 

results to develop strategies that will limit the 

damage caused by fungicide resistance. 

Pesticide application 

In 2010, the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary 

Medicines Authority (APVMA) introduced new 

label requirements designed to reduce the 

unwanted effects of spray drift in pesticide 

application. The provision of additional 

spray application technology requirements 

was recognised by most stakeholders as 

constructive and informative. However, the 

requirement for significantly larger downwind 

buffer areas raised concerns, particularly 

regarding the application of pesticides in areas 

where geography, established boundaries and 

field size prevent the practical adoption of such 

drift mitigation techniques. 

In response to these developments, the 

industry-based National Working Party on 

Pesticide Applications was established with 

support from the GRDC. The working party 

includes representatives from the grains, 

horticulture, viticulture, cotton and sugar 

industries. It provides its members with an 

opportunity to gather further information on 

constructive options for the management of 

pesticide spray drift, review industry current 

best management practice, and engage with 

all stakeholders on the development of spray 

drift management policy. 

In 2011–12, the University of Queensland, with 

funding from the GRDC, completed a new 

assessment of Canadian research to support 

the generation of deposition curves for nozzles 

that produce very coarse and extremely coarse 

droplets. As shrouds are a recognised viable 

method for reducing the spray drift emitted by 

boom sprayers, this project also entailed an 

independent wind tunnel and field evaluation of 

a commercial spray shroud. This work has been 

submitted to the APVMA for evaluation with 

the approval of the National Working Party on 

Pesticide Applications. 

A three-year research project has been 

established at the University of Queensland to 

develop a database accommodating nozzles, 

formulations and adjuvants that will support 

the use of drift reduction technologies for the 

application of pesticides using ground boom 

sprayers. In addition, this project has begun to 

develop wind tunnel spray deposition curves 

that can be used to establish spray quality 

boundaries and assess the effectiveness of 

drift reduction technologies. 

Farm business 

management 

In 2011–12, the GRDC implemented a 

number of key activities to help Australian 

grain growers to manage farm risk in a diverse 

and unpredictable business environment. 

Resources 

The Farm Gross Margin and Enterprise 

Planning Guide 2012 is a tool to assist grain 

growers in the Southern Region to plan their 

broadacre farming enterprises. It includes 

information on product and input costs as well 

as blank templates for planning cash flow and 

calculating margins. 

The GRDC worked closely with the South 

Australian Grains Industry Trust to develop 

the revised edition of the guide in 2011–12. 

37 


38 



The publication was made available through 

the GRDC’s website and 6,600 hard copies 

were distributed free of charge to grain growers 

across South Australia. 

The GRDC also provided regular commentary 

and analysis on farm business management 

issues in the ‘Dollar$ and $en$e’ column of its 

newspaper, Ground Cover. The GRDC’s series 

of fact sheets for 2011–12 included topics 

relevant to farm business management, such 

as grain storage. (The GRDC’s publications 

are discussed in the report on performance for 

Output Group 4—Communication & Capacity 

Building and listed in Appendix D.) 

Farm Business Management 

Update program 

In response to the challenges facing grain 

growers and their advisers in optimising profit, 

equity growth and risk management, the GRDC 

launched the Farm Business Management 

(FBM) Update program in 2011–12. The 

program is designed to instil greater confidence 

in decision making, risk management and 

general business management among growers 

and their advisers. 

The update program recognises that although 

every grain grower has their own individual 

approach to optimising performance, growth 

and profit, there are inherent business dilemmas 

that are relevant to most farm businesses. 

Two types of event are offered through the 

program: FBM Grower Updates, designed 

specifically for grain growers; and FBM Adviser 

Updates, designed for advisers from a range of 

sectors, including farm inputs, agronomy, crop 

production, accounting, banking, insurance and 

business advice. One of the core benefits of 

the FBM Adviser Updates is the opportunity for 

advisers from different sectors to work together 

in tackling common farm business issues. 

FBM Grower Updates and FBM Adviser 

Updates will be conducted in all key cropping 

regions of southern Australia over the next 

three years. Each update event puts relevant, 

timely and real farm business problems under 

the microscope. Well-regarded consultants 

provide information and analysis to inform and 

develop awareness of management decisions 

that grain-growing businesses must make. 

The design and subject matter for the 

updates were tested through pilot events 

held for advisers in Adelaide, South Australia, 

and Bendigo, Victoria; and for growers in 

Cummins, South Australia, and Skipton, 

Victoria. The program commenced in March 

2012 with three FBM Grower Updates, held 

in Forbes and Temora, New South Wales, and 

Donald, Victoria. 

The GRDC used its customer relationship 

management database to distribute two FBM 

Update newsletters, providing stories and links 

to topics and speakers from the events, to 

growers, agronomists, accountants and other 

interested readers. 

Grain marketing technical workshops 

In 2011–12, the GRDC funded a program of 

specialised workshops designed to improve 

grain growers’ confidence and skill in grain 

marketing. The first of the two workshops was 

conducted at Glenelg, South Australia, in April 

2012; the second will be held in Swan Hill, 

Victoria, in September 2012. 

The workshops assist participants to: 

• develop an understanding of 

–– 

the grain-marketing environment, including 

major grain-trading exchanges and how 

they impact on prices in Australia 

–– 

the benefits of position reporting and cost 

of production for grain marketing 

–– 

the strengths and weaknesses of 

commonly used grain-marketing products 

–– 

terminology and concepts unique to 

grain marketing 

• competently interpret the risks involved 

when using grain-marketing products and 

tools, and apply such products and tools to 

maximise potential business income 

• learn tips and tricks to make harvest 

administration and contract management 

easier 

• develop a grain-marketing plan that 

considers key farm management principles. 

The workshop program includes a 

thorough evaluation process, including 

mechanisms to collect information from 

participants before, during and after the 

workshops. Of the participants who responded 

to a post-workshop survey, 56 percent had 

applied the skills, processes or new tools 

gained from the workshop to their business (and 

43 percent had not); almost 45 percent had 

developed marketing plans for their businesses.


workshops 

To help agronomists, consultants and other 

advisers understand the science behind 

variety selection and performance, and the 

role of National Variety Trials (NVT), the GRDC 

conducted technical workshops in 2011–12. 

The workshops were held in August 2011 in 

Wagga Wagga, New South Wales; Adelaide, 

South Australia; and Birchip, Victoria. 

Participants heard presentations from industry 

experts and decision-makers on a range of 

topics, including: 

• plant breeding—varieties that are 

currently available, and how they 

perform; technologies used in new variety 

development; and varieties of the future 

• plant physiology—the relationships between 

developmental genes, frost, drought, heat 

stress, flowering and seeding time; and the 

impacts of those relationships on variety 

performance 

• agronomy and variety decision making— 

steps to selecting a variety; ways to improve 

decision making and know whether you are 

getting it right; and the regional relevance of 

variety selections 

• NVT information—sorting NVT data to get 

the information clients need; tailoring variety 

recommendations to suit changing seasonal 

situations; and accessing and interpreting 

information from the NVT Online website (and 

providing feedback for its improvement). 

The workshop featured interactive sessions, 

enabling advisers to further develop their 

skills in putting variety selection theory into 

practice. Each participant received a workshop 

manual that highlights the latest in variety 

selection, research, trends, and science and 

industry information. 

Regional Cropping 

Solutions 

In 2011–12, through the Regional Cropping 

Solutions initiative, the GRDC established 

networks of more than 100 grain growers, 

consultants and researchers across nine 

separate areas in southern and western 

Australia to provide on-the-ground insights into 

priority issues requiring R&D attention. 

Increasing the GRDC’s ability to capture 

information at the front line of grain production 

places the corporation in a better position 

to invest in RD&E where and when it is most 

needed. The Regional Cropping Solutions 

Networks (RCSN) and the Northern Region 

Grower Solutions Groups ensure that the 

GRDC is actively listening to and engaging with 

growers to identify and articulate local cropping 

issues and help determine how best to tackle 

those issues. 

The networks also play an influential role in 

the GRDC’s thrust to fast-track investments 

for RD&E projects aimed at improving 

grain growers’ productivity, profitability and 

sustainability. Typically, this sees field trial work 

tackling some of the most pressing issues faced 

by growers in the region, backed up by practical 

communication and extension activities. 

In the Western Region there are five Western 

Australian networks under the RCSN initiative, 

which comprise in total 70 growers and 

industry members plus a Western Regional 

Panel member. The Southern Region has four 

RCSN areas, based on rainfall zone or irrigation 

use, and networks collectively comprising 42 

growers and agronomists plus two to three 

Southern Regional Panel members. The 

networks play a key role in capturing research 

ideas and prioritising short-term issues. 

The Northern Region model for identifying 

and responding to regional issues is different. 

The main difference is that the four Northern 

Region GRDC Grower Solutions Groups 

have a substantial budget with which to plan, 

design and deliver local activities. Within each 

group there are multiple nodes which each 

have a local consultative committee consisting 

of growers, key local advisers and agency 

extension officers. The committees identify and 

prioritise specific agronomic production issues 

and provide a key link to the area represented 

by each node. They meet twice a year to 

review results and identify and prioritise new or 

continuing projects. 

This initiative is part of a renewed effort to 

shorten the length of the adoption cycle for 

technologies and practices. This effort will 

also involve adjusting some of the GRDC’s 

business procedures to speed up the 

investment process. 

39 


40 



Case study 

Pathways to registration improve pesticide access 

Grain growers’ access to effective pesticides is constrained by many factors, from pesticide 

resistance to the commercial failure of commercial producers to fund the costs of meeting regulatory 

requirements necessary to deliver their products to the Australian market. With the support of 

consultants and Plant Health Australia, and the guidance of the regulator, the Australian Pesticides 

and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA), the GRDC has established the Pathways to Registration 

program to facilitate the grains industry’s access to appropriate pest management options. 

The program is designed to improve grain growers’ access to effective pesticides by: 

• facilitating access to necessary pesticide options and label improvements that were not 

previously made available to growers via pesticide manufacturers and formulators because of 

commercial market failure 

• providing an improved, rapid pathway to registration for the outcomes of GRDC investments in 

pesticide R&D. 

While APVMA minor use permits are potentially available as a means of gaining access to improved 

pest management options for a number of developing grain crops, they are not generally an 

option for major broadacre agricultural crops such as wheat, barley, canola, peas and lupins. The 

option of gaining label extensions (which authorise the use of a pesticide for an additional purpose) 

via Category 25 applications has been established as a means for major crop industries to gain 

approved access to those options. Figure 11 outlines the model that the program uses to expedite 

Category 25 submissions. 

Plant Health Australia facilitates this program by providing essential management of the registration 

process through the distribution of research funds to consultants, contractors, and research 

providers; contract management; liaison and provision of information between parties; and 

submission of Category 25 applications to the APVMA. This is supported by consultants who 

facilitate the prioritisation of the pesticides program and manage the technical aspects of the 

submission process. 

As well as creating a more rapid pathway to registration for GRDC pesticide R&D, this program will 

improve the grains industry’s engagement with the key pesticide industry stakeholders, such as 

the APVMA and pesticide registrants. Overall, this project will result in improved pesticide use by 

growers, reducing production costs and improving quality assurance compliance. 

Figure 11: Pathways to Registration approach to facilitating Category 25 submissions 

Grains Industries 

(Through Grower Panels) 


Product Prioritisation 

Final 

Submission 

Preparation 

$ Funding 

Final Submission 

to APVMA 

APVMA 

Consultant 

PHA 

Liaison with Registrant(s) 

Tender Development 


Provider 

Registrants 

Project and Contract 

Management 

APVMA = Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority, PHA = Plant Health Australia, 

Source: GRDC and Plant Health Australia.

Case study 

Phone app takes weed identification into the paddock 

Reflecting the GRDC’s commitment to delivering resources to growers in the formats that they 

prefer, in 2011–12 the GRDC’s popular weed identification guide was made available for use 

via smartphone. 

Australians have enthusiastically embraced smartphone technology, and many grain growers are 

part of that trend. A phone is a tool that growers tend to carry with them at all times, so it makes 

sense to use it as a platform for delivering immediate information to support on-farm decisionmaking 

processes. 

The GRDC’s first phone app, the Weeds: 

the Ute Guide app, was launched at 

a committee meeting of the National 

Integrated Weed Management Initiative 

in Adelaide in November 2011. It is 

available for download free of charge 

by users in Australia and New Zealand, 

for the Apple iPhone®, iPad® and 

Android, from the GRDC website. 

The Weeds: the Ute Guide app was 

created in a user-friendly format to 

streamline the weed identification 

process. Once installed, it can be 

accessed anywhere, at any time— 

even where there is no mobile phone 

coverage. It means that a grower walking 

in a paddock to inspect crops can 

quickly and easily identify any weed that 

they are not sure about. 

A calendar for each weed shows which 

time of the year the weed is likely to be 

present in the paddock. Where possible, 

photographs of the weed at various 

growth stages are provided to assist with 

identification. Users can search, identify 

and compare photographs of weeds, 

and email them to their networks via their 

phone’s inbuilt contacts list. 

The app includes the most common 

annual, biennial and perennial weeds of 

the southern and western grain-growing 

regions. A similar weeds identification 

product for northern grain growers is under development. 

The GRDC is planning to convert a number of other items in the 

popular The Ute Guide series into phone apps. Apps for other 

topics will soon follow. 

GRDC Webmaster Nikki Bricknell and Manager Delivery Platforms 

Tom McCue demonstrate the Weeds: the Ute Guide phone app. 

Photo: Emma Leonard 

Site Manager Scott Boyd and Don McCaffery from the New South 

Wales Department of Primary Industries use the app to identify 

weeds at the National Variety Trials wheat trials site near Parkes, 

New South Wales. Photo: Paul Jones 

41 


42 




Table 14: Adoption levels of specific farm management practices and technologies, as 

assessed by GRDC grower surveys, 2004 to 2012, by proportion of growers 

surveyed (percent) 


Specific practice change 

Growers improving soil condition, 

as indicated by the increased 

use of: 

• lime 40 41 39 42 48 50 

• gypsum 51 48 49 53 44 51 

• controlled traffic 15 24 20 30 22 29 

Growers managing nutrients and 

minimising nutrient loss increases, 

as indicated by the increased 

use of: 

• nutrient budgeting 66 63 54 59 50 56 

• variable rate technology 16 16 20 20 20 17 

Growers taking up precision 

agriculture and related practices 

36 44 48 63 77 87 

Growers adopting new or different 

n/a n/a 53 64 60 52 

manage climate variability a 

management practices to actively 

Growers monitoring ‘plant 

available’ water in the soil 

Growers monitoring depth to the 

water table 

Growers with improved 

confidence in managing: 

33 33 32 35 28 34 

27 28 24 26 22 22 

• weeds 84 81 86 86 84 84 

• pests 73 71 79 70 70 82 

• diseases 78 78 82 78 82 82 

On-farm change and GRDC influence 

Growers adopting new or 

improved farming practices in 

the past five years 

Growers adopting actions to 

ensure longer term sustainability 

of farm 

Growers adopting actions 

to ensure longer term 

sustainability of farm as a 

result of GRDC-specific 

activities or initiatives 

Growers influenced in a major 

way by GRDC information in 

motivating change on-farm 

82 78 79 78 79 72 

92 88 89 86 89 92 

40 40 45 40 42 48 

21 21 18 30 31 25 

a This measure was introduced in 2006. 

Note: The Grower Survey was suspended in 2007 as part of the GRDC’s drought response and is now conducted every second year.

Table 15: Practices overview 

Output Group 1—Practices 

Objective 

Better practices developed and adopted faster 

Strategies 

Identify and develop profitable, innovative and integrated practices and technologies 

Ensure active grain grower involvement and commitment 

Undertake targeted extension and adoption through appropriate delivery channels 

Enhance sustainable management of natural resources 

Investment budget for 2011–12 

$66.53 million 

Performance for 2011–12 

Performance indicators Targets Achievements 

Identify and develop profitable, innovative and integrated practices and technologies 

AOP: Improved land use 

choices and timing of activities 

to increase profit 

AOP: Insecticide and fungicide 

resistance surveillance 

management 

PBS: Effective management 

of weed, disease and insect 

biosecurity risks 

AOP: Farm businesses 

provided with the skills to 

strategically identify priorities 

to maximise profit gains in 

individual businesses 

AOP: Coordinated pesticide 

research results in a rapid 

pathway to registration of 

pesticide applications 

• Development of a framework 

(including economic, biophysical and 

social components) for diagnosing 

suboptimal crop performance. 

• Application of the diagnostic 

framework in each of the three 

grain-growing regions. 

• Resistance development surveyed 

and confirmed where necessary. 

• Appropriate management strategies 

deployed by growers to manage and 

delay the occurrence of insecticide 

and fungicide resistance. 

• 90% grower confidence in managing 

pests, weeds and diseases. 

• Grain growers better able to access, 

interpret, question and learn from 

the RD&E information available. 

• Grower and adviser training 

programs developed. 

• Development of a series of fact 

sheets on business management for 

growers. 

• Generic pesticide labels improved 

to allow grower access to new use 

patterns of five registered products 

increasing to 10 per annum in the 

second year. 

Ensure active grain grower involvement and commitment 

AOP: Growers have greater 

input to issue identification 

and priority setting of GRDC 

portfolio 

• GRDC adoption of the Regional 

Cropping Solutions initiative for issue 

identification, investment decision 

and resolution. 

Availability of the MyCrop website, including 

a yield constraint calculator and a wheat 

diagnostic tool, for growers in the Western 

Region. 

Ongoing development of frameworks for wheat, 

barley, canola and chickpea for all grain-growing 

regions. 

Delivery of a resistance surveillance program 

which has identified fungicide-resistant powdery 

mildew in Western Australian barley and miticideresistant 

redlegged earth mite biotypes. 

Delivery of strategies, information packages and 

training to assist growers to manage resistance 

in pests, weeds and diseases. 

Results of the 2012 Grower Survey showing 

improved confidence in the management of 

pests and diseases (82%) and weeds (84%). 

Piloting of farm business management training 

for advisers and growers in the Southern Region. 

Delivery of Farm Business Management 

Updates. 

Publication of the ‘Dollar$ and $en$e’ column in 

Ground Cover. 

Through the Pathways to Registration program, 

submission of six industry-initiated label 

changes, focusing on summer weed control, 

stem rust and insect control, to the Australian 

Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority. 

Establishment of five Regional Cropping Solutions 

Networks in the Western Region and four in the 

Southern Region to complement the existing 

Northern Region Grower Solutions Groups. 

Appointment of members representing farming, 

agronomy, agribusiness and research sectors 

for each network. Commencement of projects in 

each zone. 

Collection of feedback on industry issues and 

priorities within each zone to inform GRDC 

regional advisory panels. 

43 


44 



Table 15: Practices overview (continued) 



AOP: Growers have greater 

input to issue identification 

and priority setting of GRDC 

portfolio (continued) 

PBS: Expanded participatory 

action research program to 

involve growers, agribusiness 

networks and researchers 

in jointly developing 

comprehensive sustainable 

management solutions to 

farming challenges 

• Appointment of facilitators/ 

coordinators to assist groups in 

identifying relevant RD&E activities 

and undertaking appropriate RD&E 

actions. 

• 40% of growers adopting new or 

improved farming practices due to 

GRDC activity. 

Undertake targeted extension and adoption through appropriate delivery channels 

PBS: Improved profiling of the 

GRDC customer relationship 

management database 

AOP: Improved web interface 

AOP: Continuation of technical 

workshops 

PBS: Improved access 

for growers to technical 

workshops and training 

materials 

• Maintain and update. 

• GRDC website that is more 

relevant and friendly to growers and 

researchers, to assist the extension 

of R&D information. 

• Implementation of a website 

interface that is complementary 

to face-to-face learning and is not 

seen as an alternative to hands-on 

programs. 

• Continued delivery of issue-specific 

workshops for growers, advisers 

and researchers. 

• In-depth analysis and discussion of 

key issues by participants in grains 

RD&E. 

• 17,600 growers and industry 

representatives participating in 

GRDC-funded activities. 

Enhance sustainable management of natural resources 

AOP: Grain growers 

actively demonstrating best 

management practices to 

minimise off-site impacts of 

pesticides and fertilisers 

• Quantification of pesticide and 

nutrient loss from grain farms. 

• Development of a grains industry 

best management manual, in 

consultation with growers. 

• Grain grower adoption of best 

management practices. 

Appointment of facilitators to provide 

coordination services and on-the-ground links 

for each zone and network. 


38% of growers adopting new or improved 

farming practices due to GRDC activities. 

Continual updates and improvements to the 

customer relationship management database. 

Analysis of website user needs based on: 

• feedback from national focus groups of 

growers and advisers 

• a study of grower priorities in social media. 

Major enhancements to the GRDC website, 

including a new look and feel, improved 

search ability and ‘hot topics’ to provide quick 

references for users. 

Delivery of technical workshops on topics 

including: 

• grain marketing 

• technology in agriculture 

• crop nutrition 

• GM canola management 

• integrated weed management 

• National Variety Trials 

• foliar disease management 

• precision agriculture 

• grain storage 

• pesticide application and spray drift 

management. 

17,600 growers and industry representatives 

participating in GRDC-funded activities. 

Identification and review of 24 existing studies 

of pesticide and nutrient loss from grain farms, 

including validation of the HowLeaky? model. 

Review of existing programs and manuals, 

and development of a plan for a chemical and 

fertiliser stewardship program (in consultation 

with growers) including the place for a best 

management manual. 

Results of the second Farm Practice Survey, 

conducted in 2011 among 1,312 grain farming 

businesses (covering 2.36 million hectares of 

crop area, approximately 8% of the area of crop 

planted in Australia), which showed that growers 

are adopting best management practices.

Table 15: Practices overview (continued) 



PBS: Grain growers adapting 

to climate change and 

mitigating on-farm greenhouse 

gas emissions 

PBS: Coordinated national 

investment in nutrient 

management research, 

data management and 

communication 

• 40% of growers using climate risk 

management tools to manage 

climate variability. 

• 60% of growers using nutrient 

budgeting. 


52% of growers adopting new or different 

management practices to actively manage 

climate variability. 


56% of growers managing nutrients and 

minimising nutrient loss through the increased 

use of nutrient budgeting. 

AOP = annual operational plan, PBS = portfolio budget statements 

45 


• Investment to reduce the future threat of fungicide shortages and broaden the range of 

fungicide actives to manage resistance and potential regulatory changes, by delivering 

new pulse and cereal fungicide registration packages of new modes of action. 

• New investments to scope potential technologies and approaches to more cost-effectively 

manage snails and slugs, based on increased understanding of their distribution and more 

effective biological, cultural and chemical control options. 

• New investment in the Plant Biosecurity Cooperative Research Centre, to assist the 

grains industry to enhance its biosecurity preparedness and meet its obligations to 

increase risk mitigation activities. 

• A collaborative program on post-harvest grain storage that will develop an industry-wide 

systems approach, integrating a range of tools and treatments, for managing stored-grain 

insect pests at all critical points in the Australian grains supply chain. 

• The development of online learning tools for growers. 

• A scoping study of potential agronomy apprenticeship programs. 

• A range of projects to: 

–– 

increase the GRDC’s presence in social media 

–– 

provide greater online access to the final reports of GRDC-supported research 

projects, and greater electronic access to traditional hardcopy publications 

–– 

expand the farm business management training program 

–– 

renew the GRDC’s contribution to the Collaborative Partnership for Farming and 

Fishing Health and Safety 

–– 

extend persuasion skills training to advisers 

–– 

expand the map-based interactive web interface for PestFax 

–– 

conduct technical workshops that are targeted to issues of significance to grain 

growers and their influencers 

– – deliver Research Updates in the Northern Region and Southern Region, and Grains 

Research Updates in the Western Region. 


Output Group 2—Varieties 

46 



The Varieties output group invested in gene 

discovery, functional genomics, grain quality 

research, plant pathology (where directly related 

to breeding), breeding technologies, genetic 

resources, germplasm enhancement, plant 

breeding, and crop variety testing across many 

of the 25 crops in the GRDC’s R&D portfolio. 

The output group supported crop improvement 

for growing domestic as well as export markets, 

with the aim of raising the overall value of 

the Australian grains industry. This involved 

developing new varieties with enhanced yields 

as well as quality attributes that add value 

and meet market demands, and included 

collaborating with the grains industry to clarify 

consumer requirements. 

Varieties also supported the search for new 

sources of disease resistance to incorporate 

into crops, as well as research to improve 

the understanding of the processes involved 

in resistance breakdown. It also invested 

to facilitate an industry-wide approach to 

improving data collection, for industry-good 

purposes and to increase the efficiency of end 

point royalty collection. 


Varieties output group against its performance 

indicators for 2011–12 and its objectives and 

strategies for 2007–12. The following sections 

describe some of the results of the output 

group’s investments during the year. 

Wheat breeding 

Over the past decade, the production of 

durum wheat in Australia has been significantly 

adversely affected by the poor yield stability 

of available varieties under dry seasonal 

conditions; heat stress; cold temperatures 

around flowering; and fungal diseases. 

These challenges are being addressed by the 

Australian Durum Wheat Improvement Program 

(ADWIP), a national collaborative breeding 

program established between the New South 

Wales Department of Primary Industries, the 

University of Adelaide and the GRDC. This 

coordinated approach has achieved synergies 

between breeding programs in the different 

grain-growing regions, including through 

CONTENTS 

Wheat breeding 

Wheat classification 

Oat breeding 

Pulse breeding 

Development of enhanced winter cereals 

germplasm 

Gene discovery and new technologies 


Statistical resources 

Genetic resources 

Case studies 


Varieties overview 


germplasm exchange. Priority breeding 

objectives are informed by industry consultation 

through industry advisory committees. 

In 2011–12, the exchange of material between 

the program’s southern and northern nodes 

continued. Samples from both nodes were 

tested for quality attributes in Tamworth, New 

South Wales, and were assayed with DNA 

markers in Adelaide. ADWIP incorporated 

quality testing earlier in the breeding cycle 

and accelerated the development of breeding 

material through single-seed descent. The 

use of halogen lamps in the glasshouses has 

enabled the breeders to artificially extend the 

day length, allowing up to three generations 

to be bred in a 12-month period. All advanced 

lines were sent to the Australian Cereal Rust 

Control Program for testing of resistance to 

known rust pathotypes. 

The breeding program has significantly 

increased its focus on international networks, 

in particular with Canada, Italy and the United 

States. In 2011–12 this included the importation 

of 200 lines from the International Maize and 

Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) and the

Soil moisture is monitored during trials at an Australian 

Durum Wheat Improvement Program site in South Australia. 

Photo: University of Adelaide 

International Center for Agricultural Research in 

the Dry Areas (ICARDA) and new material from 

Italian companies. 

A new durum variety, Tjilkuri , was released to 

growers in 2011. Compared to other varieties, 

Tjilkuri has a higher semolina extraction rate 

(80 percent) and reduced susceptibility to the 

most agronomically significant durum pathogen, 

crown rot. Plant breeder’s rights and Wheat 

Quality Australia Limited approvals were granted 

for a further two new varieties. 

Wheat classification 

Wheat Quality Australia Limited is a not-for-profit 

company owned jointly by the GRDC and Grain 

Trade Australia. Since its inception in 2010, the 

company has been responsible for the variety 

classification process which assigns wheat 

varieties to functional groups or classes with 

particular end-product quality attributes. 

The company’s governing board presides over: 

• the Wheat Classification Council, which is 

made up of representatives of all industry 

sectors and sets the national classification 

framework 

• the Variety Classification Panel, which is 

made up of technical expert consultants and 

conducts the actual variety classification 

process 

• a proficiency program that calibrates the 

testing methodologies of participating wheat 

quality laboratories to ensure that test results 

are technically robust and comparable. 

Through its Wheat Classification Council, Wheat 

Quality Australia Limited calls for and considers 

submissions from the public and industry in 

relation to the wheat classification system and 

reports annually to growers. 

During 2011–12, Wheat Quality Australia Limited: 

• established a new website, 

www.wheatquality.com.au 

• conducted two meetings of the Wheat 

Classification Council 

• appointed new members to the Variety 

Classification Panel, and conducted five 

meetings of the panel 

• received and considered public submissions 

and published them on the website 

• received and considered 71 applications 

from Australian wheat-breeding programs 

for variety classification 

• published an updated list showing the 

current classification of Australian wheat 

varieties 

• presided over a national proficiency program 

with 13 participating quality laboratories 

• held consultation meetings with growers in 

each agroecological zone 

• made presentations at 12 GRDC Grower and 

Adviser Updates. 

Oat breeding 

Demand for domestic and export milling oats 

continues to increase, driven in part by a 

growing appreciation of the health benefits of 

oats. The national oat-breeding program aims 

to develop improved milling and feed varieties of 

oats for southern Australia. With support from 

the GRDC, the program is based in Adelaide 

and led by the South Australian Research and 

Development Institute, and has a node in Perth 

managed by the Department of Agriculture and 

Food, Western Australia. 

The first milling variety adapted for Western 

Australia was launched in March 2012. 

47 

GRDC Annual Report 2011–2012 Output Group 2—Varieties

48 



The variety, Bannister , has good leaf rust 

resistance and slightly improved septoria 

resistance compared to the resistance of current 

Western Australian varieties. Trials show that 

Bannister averages 3.1 tonnes per hectare 

compared to averages for other milling oats 

such as Carolup (2.6 tonnes per hectare) 

and Wandering (2.9 tonnes per hectare). 

This demonstrates the potential for growers to 

increase production by as much as 20 percent. 

In 2011–12, the Australian breeding program 

was accepted into the Collaborative Oat 

Research Enterprise program, a global 

collaboration for developing molecular markers. 

About 550 lines passed quarantine and were 

sown in single rows for observation. 

Pulse breeding 

The National Mungbean Improvement Program 

(NMIP) was established in 2003 by the GRDC 

and the Department of Employment, Economic 

Development and Innovation, Queensland, to 

deliver higher yielding, disease-resistant varieties 

of mungbean with the quality attributes required 

by high-value vegetable markets. 

In 2011–12, the GRDC commissioned an 

analysis of the NMIP’s economic performance 

from 2003 to 2011. The total investment of 

$6.1 million (present value terms) was estimated 

to have produced total gross benefits of 

$115 million (present value terms), providing 

a net present value of $109 million—and a 

benefit-to-cost ratio of more than 18:1. Despite 

assumptions being conservatively estimated, 

this is a relatively high rate of return compared 

to those of other crop-breeding programs. 

Also in 2011–12, the NMIP’s commercial 

partner, the Australian Mungbean Association, 

completed a winter seed increase of the elite 

large-seeded line M07213 in Western Australia’s 

Ord River Irrigation Area. This line will be a direct 

replacement for Crystal , which has accounted 

for 90 per cent of the Australian market since 

its release in 2008. M07213 has comparable 

agronomy and phenology to Crystal but is 

9 percent higher yielding and has superior grain 

quality for the large-seeded, shiny green seed 

market. It also has superior resistance to tan 

spot and powdery mildew. 

The association’s involvement makes the 

commercialisation process faster, meaning 

that growers are able to take advantage of 

improved varieties earlier. In addition, the 

association undertakes a range of quality 

testing for the breeding program and is 

important in providing timely and accurate 

market signals to the breeders. 

Development of enhanced 

winter cereals germplasm 

The Australian Winter Cereals Pre-breeding 

Alliance is an industry forum established 

to promote collaboration and cooperation 

among cereal pre-breeders and improve their 

engagement with cereal breeders. Its members 

include CSIRO, agencies of the Council of 

Australian Governments’ Primary Industries 

Steering Committee, and universities. The 

GRDC supports the alliance as a means to 

facilitate national coordination of winter cereals 

pre-breeding research in Australia, strengthen 

links between pre-breeders and breeders, and 

implement the pre-breeding component of the 

Grains Industry National RD&E Strategy. 

In 2011–12, the alliance strengthened the 

transfer of winter cereals pre-breeding research 

outcomes to breeders by reconvening the 

Wheat Breeding Assembly conference. 

The conference, held in Perth in August 2011, 

was attended by representatives of all Australian 

wheat-breeding programs. In addition, the 

alliance convened technical workshops to 

identify pre-breeding research opportunities to 

improve the tolerance of winter cereals to heat 

stress and drought stress at the reproductive 

stage of plant development. Options papers 

developed through the workshops were 

provided to the GRDC to inform future 

investment strategies. 

A new national frost program was launched 

in 2011–12. The program, a collaboration 

between the Department of Agriculture and 

Food, Western Australia, and the University of 

Adelaide, will develop robust frost phenotyping 

protocols and establish frost-trialling sites in 

New South Wales, South Australia and Western 

Australia. The primary objectives of the project 

are to: 

• develop annual frost tolerance ratings for 

wheat and barley varieties 

• develop a statistically repeatable and reliable 

field-based methodology for screening for 

frost tolerance in each grain-growing region 

• provide a field-based wheat and barley 

germplasm phenotyping service to support 

other GRDC-funded frost research projects 

and Australian frost tolerance breeding 

activities for wheat and barley

• provide a framework for national 

coordination, training and extension 

of GRDC-supported frost research. 

Gene discovery and new 

technologies 

The Australian Centre for Plant Functional 

Genomics (ACPFG) is a national research centre 

devoted to the identification, development and 

deployment of genetic solutions to cereal abiotic 

production constraints such as drought, salinity, 

temperature extremes and nutrient deficiencies 

and toxicities. It is co-funded by the Australian 

Research Council and the GRDC, with further 

financial support from the South Australian 

Government. 

During 2011–12, the centre entered into 

two large strategic partnerships designed to 

strengthen access to international research 

technologies and trait delivery expertise: 

• The ACPFG and international seed 

company DuPont Pioneer announced 

a significant expansion of their existing 

research collaboration. The new collaborative 

agreement expands the research focus to 

include wheat molecular marker development 

and hybrid seed production research, while 

maintaining activity on the development 

of agronomic traits for increased drought 

tolerance and nutrient use efficiency in cereals, 

soybean and canola. The expansion confirms 

the ACPFG as a leading cereal research 

centre and provides Australian researchers 

with increased access to DuPont Pioneer’s 

research and plant production technologies. 

• The ACPFG and CSIRO entered into a 

licence agreement with Vilmorin and Cie, 

the largest seed company in Europe, 

to commercialise their joint nitrogen 

use efficiency technology. The licence 

agreement secures a pathway for the further 

development and deregulation of the nitrogen 

use efficiency technology, and its delivery to 

the Australian grains industry. 


Established in 2005 by the GRDC, the NVT 

initiative aims to facilitate adoption of superior 

new varieties through the supply of accurate 

and independent performance information 

for winter cereal, pulse and canola varieties. 

In addition to collecting yield, quality and 

agronomic data for each nominated cultivar, trial 

managers record site characteristics, including 

soil fertility, rainfall, dates of sowing and harvest, 

and crop input and rotation information, to help 

growers and advisers to interpret the results. 

In 2011, the program conducted 651 trials 

at 443 locations across Australia. Of these, 

a total of 19 trials were abandoned, largely as 

a result of seasonal conditions, and a further 

34 did not meet the program’s stringent 

data quality requirements and thus were 

not published. The results of the remaining 

598 trials were published on the NVT website 

(nvtonline.com.au) and in crop variety guides. 

Ongoing development of the NVT Online 

website has resulted in significant increases 

in site visits and usage, as Figure 12 shows. 

49 

GRDC Annual Report 2011–2012 Output Group 2—Varieties 

Peter Keys (front) from the Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation, Queensland, shows growers 

and GRDC Northern Regional Panel members through a National Variety Trials site near Biloela. Photo: GRDC

Figure 12: Use of the NVT Online website, July 2010 to July 2012 

16,000 

14,000 

12,000 

10,000 

8,000 

6,000 

4,000 

50 



2,000 

0 

Jul 2010 

Aug 2010 

Visits 

Sep 2010 

Oct 2010 

Nov 2010 

Dec 2010 

Page views 

Jan 2011 

Feb 2011 

The management of the NVT trial network 

continued to be reviewed and improved through 

extensive consultation with the NVT regional 

advisory committees that were established 

in 2010–11. As well as advising on regionally 

relevant issues such as the retention or deletion 

of individual crop cultivars from the local trials, 

the committees provide feedback on national 

matters. In 2011–12, the committees expressed 

overwhelming support for change in the disease 

management protocols of the trial system. 

Consequently, a technical review has been 

undertaken with a view to developing better 

protocols for management practices for the 

2012 season. 

Statistical resources 

Mar 2011 

Apr 2011 

Statistical input helps to deliver definitive 

answers to R&D questions and to secure 

industry acceptance and uptake of research 

outputs. In 2011–12, the GRDC established 

the national Statistics for the Australian Grains 

Industry program to deliver best practice 

statistical support and training, and innovative 

statistical technologies and software, to the 

Australian grains industry. 

May 2011 

Jun 2011 

The program is funded for five years and 

involves the University of Wollongong (the lead 

agency), the University of Western Australia, 

Charles Sturt University, the University of 

Adelaide, Agri-Science Queensland (part of 

the Department of Employment, Economic 

Jul 2011 

Aug 2011 

Sep 2011 

Oct 2011 

Nov 2011 

Dec 2011 

Jan 2012 

Feb 2012 

Development and Innovation, Queensland), 

and CSIRO Mathematics, Informatics and 

Statistics. It involves 17 statisticians, and 

interfaces with the Australian grains industry 

through an industry liaison and training 

division, a research and collaborative projects 

division, and a software development and 

implementation division. 

The program will provide high-level 

support and training to national 

grains-breeding programs, the NVT 

system, and GRDC-supported pre-breeding, 

climate change, agronomy and farming 

systems projects. 

Genetic resources 

A vital asset for plant breeding and pre-breeding 

activities, plant genetic resource centres: 

• safeguard seed collections 

Mar 2012 

Apr 2012 

• maintain open access for users 

May 2012 

Jun 2012 

• seek out, introduce and evaluate the most 

promising international germplasm for 

further R&D. 

In addition to supporting the operations of 

grains-related genetic resource centres, the 

GRDC and partner organisations are working 

to establish a national genetic resource centre 

for grain crops, in order to safeguard Australia’s 

access to the broad genetic diversity required 

to address production constraints faced by 

Australian grain growers. 

Jul 2012

In 2011–12, all GRDC-supported Australian 

genetic resources databases were merged with 

the internationally coordinated database GRIN 

Global, in order to fulfil Australia’s obligations 

under the International Treaty on Plant Genetic 

Resources for Food and Agriculture. 

In addition, the GRDC reached an in-principle 

agreement with the Department of Primary 

Industries, Victoria, regarding the establishment 

of the Australian Grains Genebank. Under the 

agreement, the GRDC and the department 

will invest in a significant expansion of genetic 

resource centre infrastructure at Horsham, 

Victoria, and commit to the long-term 

operational resourcing of the centre. 

The Australian Grains Genebank will consolidate 

genetic resources from the existing Australian 

Winter Cereals Collection (Tamworth, New 

South Wales), the Australian Tropical Crops and 

Forages Collection (Biloela, Queensland) and 

the Australian Temperate Field Crops Collection 

(Horsham, Victoria). Locating the resources in 

one centre will increase operational efficiency 

and provide a single point of access for 

Australian and international researchers seeking 

grains genetic resources. 

51 

Case study 

Ancestral gene increases durum yields on highly 

saline soils 

In Australia, wheat is grown in many areas that are affected by transient or water-table dependent 

dryland salinity. Even at low levels salinity leads to yield reduction, particularly in durum wheat, and 

the impact of salinity on crop production is expected to become more prevalent in the future. 

One mechanism that confers tolerance to highly saline soils is the ability of a plant to maintain low 

concentrations of salt in the leaves. This trait, known as sodium exclusion, is responsible for the 

greater salt tolerance of bread wheat relative to durum wheat. 

In 2011–12, a group of GRDC-supported researchers from CSIRO, the University of Adelaide, 

the Australian Centre for Plant Functional Genomics, the University of Western Australia and the 

New South Wales Department of Primary Industries identified a sodium exclusion gene from the 

ancient relative of wheat Triticum monococcum, and introduced it into the commercial durum variety 

Tamaroi. The gene, known as Nax2, encodes a sodium-selective transporter expressed in root cells 

and is capable of pumping out sodium and preventing it from reaching the leaves. 

The researchers showed that in low-salinity soils durum lines without the gene produced the 

same yields as a line carrying the Nax2, while in locations with a mean salt concentration of around 

one-third the concentration in sea water, the lines carrying Nax2 provided a yield advantage of up to 

25 percent. Salt levels in the flag leaf of Nax2-carrying lines were found to be four times lower than 

those in lines without the gene. These research results were published in the prestigious journal 

Nature Biotechnology in April 2012 and widely publicised in the media. The research group has 

received requests for access to the trait from all over the world. 

The Nax2 gene provides a very useful mechanism to assist wheat breeders to improve yields in 

highly saline soils. Even though the Nax2 gene is present in a wheat ancestor, it is not present in 

commercial wheat cultivars. This highlights the importance of plant genetic resources as a source 

of many still to be discovered useful traits and genes for modern cultivars. 

Ongoing GRDC-supported research is focusing on other mechanisms that have the potential to 

improve yield on soils with lower salt concentrations, which are more prevalent in farmers’ fields. 

Ultimately, the researchers aim to combine both mechanisms so that breeders can generate 

varieties with broad salinity tolerance. 

GRDC Annual Report 2011–2012 Output Group 2—Varieties

52 



Case study 

National Mungbean Improvement Program delivers 

varieties and value 

Mungbean is a high-value export crop and an increasingly significant spring and summer rotation 

crop in the Northern Region. Mungbeans are mainly marketed as a vegetable, rather than as bulk 

grain, so their appearance is very important. A small proportion of the mungbean seed produced is 

used in Australia for sprouting. 

Until recently, the growth of the mungbean industry was constrained by grain growers’ lack of 

confidence in the current mungbean varieties, which were up to 30 years old and susceptible 

to disease. To address this problem, the GRDC and the Department of Employment, Economic 

Development and Innovation, Queensland, established the National Mungbean Improvement 

Program (NMIP) in 2003. 

Breeding programs for small industries such as mungbean may need to produce high rates of gain 

in terms of yield or quality in order to justify the investment. In the case of mungbean, both types of 

gain have been achieved. In addition, grower confidence has increased markedly, since the release 

of Crystal and Satin II in 2008, as Figure 13 shows. This was reflected in a 60 percent increase 

in planting area and a 44 percent increase in production between 2008 and 2011. 

Such increases in confidence and productivity are likely to continue as new varieties become 

available through the program. In 2011, new lines of elite large-seeded germplasm showed yield 

gains of 10 percent to 20 percent, as well as improved resistance to powdery mildew and tan 

spot. New sources of resistance to halo blight have been found and introgressed into adapted 

backgrounds; they will be evaluated and brought to market by 2016. 

In 2011–12, the NMIP’s breeding activities and logistics were centralised at Hermitage Research 

Station in southern Queensland. In order to deliver better service to mungbean growers in 

New South Wales, the program is working with industry and agronomists to identify and develop 

on-farm co-operator sites in key growing districts of the Liverpool Plains and Moree. The program 

will conduct trials in the Burdekin region of north Queensland in 2012–13. 

Figure 13: Australian mungbean production, 

2004 to 2011 

80,000 

70,000 

60,000 

50,000 

40,000 

30,000 

20,000 

10,000 

0 

2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 

Area (hectares) 

Production (tonnes) 

Source: Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and 

Sciences, Agricultural Commodity Statistics (2010), for years 2004 to 2009; 

Dale Reeves, Australian Mungbean Association, for years 2010 and 2011. 

Also in 2011–12, the NMIP renewed 

its relationship with the World 

Vegetable Center (AVRDC). The NMIP 

has introduced 200 germplasm and 

breeding lines from the AVRDC, which 

contain potential new sources of 

disease resistance. 

The program has developed a 

new, reliable glasshouse-based 

screening test for halo blight which 

will supplement testing in the existing 

field nursery. In combination, the 

identification of elite parents, higher 

crossing efficiency and disease 

screening will lay the groundwork for 

this program to expedite development 

of elite, large-seeded varieties with halo 

blight resistance.

A new managed environment has been 

implemented in the cross-pollination 

program; in 2011 it successfully 

increased the efficiency of winter 

crossing from 21 percent to 84 percent. 

In addition, the program has adopted 

new biometric techniques developed 

under the GRDC’s Statistics for the 

Australian Grains Industry program. 

Through the NMIP, new mungbean 

variety releases will lead to even 

greater yields and improved disease 

resistances. Given the positive 

adoption of Crystal and Satin II , 

it is likely that the new varieties will be 

adopted rapidly by industry and that 

production will continue to increase, 

with benefits to the mungbean industry 

and to consumers. 


Table 16: Uptake of new varieties, as assessed by GRDC grower surveys, 2004 to 2012, 

by proportion of growers surveyed (percent) 


Growers who had grown new 

varieties over the past five years: 

• wheat 76 72 71 67 75 79 

• barley 42 41 41 40 47 54 

• oats 24 22 18 23 24 14 

• triticale 6 7 9 5 8 6 

• pulses a n/a 27 35 33 23 44 

• oilseeds a n/a 34 34 26 29 44 

• sorghum (Northern Region only) 26 27 30 32 28 31 

Growers who felt that new grain 

n/a 58 59 58 57 60 

varieties met expectations a 

Grower awareness of NVT b n/a n/a 54 73 79 86 

NVT field days helped growers 

n/a n/a n/a 84 82 81 

decide which varieties to adopt c 

Information provided by the NVT 

program helped growers decide 

which varieties to adopt d 

Mung beans. Photo: GRDC 

n/a n/a n/a n/a 90 93 

53 


a These measures were introduced in 2005. 

b This measure was introduced in 2006. 

c This measures was introduced in 2008. 

d This measure was introduced in 2010. 

Note: The Grower Survey was suspended in 2007 as part of the GRDC’s drought response and is now conducted every second year. 

NVT = National Variety Trials.

54 



Table 17: Varieties overview 

Output Group 2—Varieties 

Objective 

Growers have access to superior varieties that enable them to effectively compete in global grain markets 

Strategies 

Build and sustain world-leading breeding programs 

Focus pre-breeding research on key traits 

Develop a path to market for genetically modified crops 

Facilitate faster adoption of superior varieties 


$55.12 million 



Build and sustain world-leading breeding programs 

AOP & PBS: Average 

annual increase in yield (as 

measured in National Variety 

Trials (NVT) trials) for wheat, 

barley, canola, sorghum and 

pulses 

AOP: Commercial breeding 

programs meeting minimum 

disease standards 

PBS: New varieties meet 

minimum disease standards 

for target environments 

AOP: Research partners 

continue to invest in 

breeding programs where 

market failure exists 

PBS: End point royalty 

(EPR) and seed royalty 

compliance greater 

than 80% 

• Average annual increase in yield 

(as measured in NVT trials) of: 

–– 

1.0% for wheat 

–– 

1.0% for barley 

–– 

1.5% for canola 

–– 

2.0% for pulses 

–– 

1.5% for sorghum. 

• The release of improved varieties 

of wheat, barley, canola, pulses 

and summer coarse grains that 

benefit the Australian grains 

industry. 

• 90% of wheat second-year 

entries in NVT trials continue 

to meet minimum disease 

standards for rust resistance. 

• 90% of canola entries in NVT 

trials continue to have blackleg 

resistance scores of 7 or above. 

• Where market failure exists, 

the GRDC’s research partners 

contribute at least 50% of the 

costs of running the breeding 

program. 

• Maintain EPR and seed royalty 

compliance. 

Several clear examples of 2011-released varieties 

reflecting the targeted yield improvement trends: 

• Australian Premium Wheat (APW) variety Corack 

has shown yield advantages of 9% over 2010 APW 

variety Estoc . 

• Barley varieties Fathom , Skipper and 

Henley all consistently out yielded 2005 release 

Buloke by 4% to 10% in general. 

• Triazine-tolerant canola variety CB Henty HT has 

shown yield advantages of up to 17% over CB 

Junee HT. 

• Chickpea variety PBA Bounty consistently 

achieves a 1.5% to 4% improvement over PBA 

HatTrick in yield across all regions tested. 

Release of new varieties of: 

• barley—five 

• canola—three 

• chickpea—one 

• faba bean—one 

• field pea—two 

• lentil—one 

• lupin—one 

• oat—three 

• wheat—seven. 

Confirmation that up to 95% of wheat second-year 

entries met the minimum disease standards for rust 

resistance in 2011. 

Confirmation that, despite breakdowns in blackleg 

resistance, 85% of 2011–12 released varieties 

that were in NVT trials had ratings better than MR 

(moderately resistant) in the NVT’s new ratings system 

(equivalent to 7 in the previous system). 

Contributions by research partners to more than 50% 

of the costs associated with running the chickpea, 

lentil, lupin, field pea, vetch, peanut, mungbean, 

soybean, oat and durum breeding programs. 

Compliance estimated at around 70%. Commencement 

of the development of a method to more accurately 

measure compliance.

Table 17: Varieties overview (continued) 



Focus pre-breeding research on key traits 

AOP: Nationally coordinated 

pre-breeding research with 

a focus on agreed key traits 

and effective international 

linkages 

PBS: Nationally coordinated 

pre-breeding research 

to focus percentage of 

resources on agreed 

key traits 

AOP & PBS: Evidence 

that genes, germplasm 

and enabling technologies 

developed in 

GRDC-supported 

pre-breeding research are 

being used in breeding 

programs 

• Development of new traits and 

selection methods for use by 

Australian breeding programs 

and continued access to 

international germplasm. 

• Effective extension and delivery 

mechanisms in place for prebreeding 

outputs. 

Develop a path to market for genetically modified crops 

AOP & PBS: Delivery 

platforms developed for 

genetically modified crops 

in Australia 

Facilitate faster adoption of superior varieties 

AOP & PBS: Increased use 

of NVT results by growers 

and paid grower advisers 

AOP & PBS: Breeder 

participation in NVT 

• Technical milestones achieved 

towards developing genetically 

modified herbicide-resistant 

lupins. 

• Increase in use of NVT data by 

growers and paid advisers as 

determined by industry surveys 

and NVT website traffic. 

• Maintain 80% or greater of 

paid advisers using NVT results 

to assist growers with variety 

selections. 

• At least 90% of relevant breeding 

programs participate in NVT. 


Coordination of pre-breeding activities through coinvestment 

with: 

• the Department of Agriculture and Food, Western 

Australia, to establish the Australian Export Grains 

Innovation Centre, Perth 

• the University of Sydney to expand northern regional 

capacity at the IA Watson Grains Research Centre, 

Narrabri. 

Development of a memorandum of understanding with 

the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi- 

Arid Tropics as a precursor to a formal agreement on 

collaborative chickpea pre-breeding research. 

Licensing of 130 grain and 575 forage sorghum lines to 

commercial sorghum breeding programs through the 

GRDC-supported Sorghum Pre-breeding Program. 

Achievement of technical milestones and review of the 

commercial path to market. 

Increase in NVT website visits of 28.6%, with an 

additional page view increase of over 15.7%. 

Results of the 2012 Grower Survey showing 86% of 

paid advisers using NVT results to assist growers with 

variety selections. 

Participation in the 2011 trial series by 100% of 

relevant breeding programs. 

55 



• Release of the first oat variety combining milling quality with cereal cyst nematode 

resistance/tolerance. 

• Release of a new mungbean variety with an average yield 14 percent higher than that 

of the industry benchmark (Crystal ) and improved resistance to powdery mildew and 

tan spot. 

• A range of projects related to barley quality, including work to: 

–– 

analyse the relationship between alpha amylase alleles in barley and the processing 

performance of commercial malts 

–– 

identify novel sources of resistance to kernel discolouration and pre-harvest sprouting 

– – support the brewing component of the malting barley accreditation process in an 

industry co-funded project led by Barley Australia.

Corporate Output Group Performance 3—New Products 

56 



The New Products output group comprised 

two investment areas: New Grain Products, 

and New Farm Products and Services. The two 

investment areas targeted opportunities both 

pre-farm gate and post-farm gate, by investing 

in research, development and commercialisation 

to provide growers with additional options in 

farm management and marketing. 

The New Grain Products portfolio identified and 

developed opportunities for the use of grain 

for a range of markets, including human food 

products, animal feed products and industrial 

markets. Maintaining product integrity through 

improved grain hygiene was also a key theme 

for this portfolio. 

The New Farm Products and Services portfolio 

focused on inputs for the grains industry that 

improve productivity and profitability. Those with 

the greatest potential to deliver benefits to the 

grains industry were subjected to careful market 

evaluation, and a business case was developed 

to justify each potential investment. 

To achieve its objective, the output group 

actively identified national and international 

technology relevant to the Australian grains 

industry; built partnerships to develop products 

and services and deliver them to growers; 

undertook product development to meet market 

requirements; and developed robust business 

cases to demonstrate the market demand for 

and value of any product or service that the 

GRDC and its partners proposed to invest in. 

Table 18 summarises the achievements of 

the New Products output group against its 

performance measures for 2011–12 and 

its objectives and strategies for 2007–12. 

The following sections describe some of the 

results of the output group’s investments 

during the year. 

Wheat yield gene 

technology 

A GRDC investment with CSIRO Plant Industry 

demonstrated that changing the expression of 

a particular gene in the developing wheat seed 

increased both biomass and grain yield by up to 

30 percent in glasshouse trials. In 2011–12, the 

CONTENTS 

Wheat yield gene technology 

High-amylose wheat 

Ultra-low gluten barley 

Crop Biofactories Initiative 

Processing technology for low-protein flour 

Collaborative research for post-harvest 

technology 

New farm products and services 

Case studies 

New Products overview 


project focused on testing field performance of 

the wheat lines and developing a path to market 

for the technology in wheat. In 2011–12: 

• wheat lines with the yield gene technology 

were grown at three different locations in 

Australia to test the field performance of the 

technology 

• Bayer CropScience joined with CSIRO and 

GRDC as the commercialisation partner for 

the technology in wheat. Bayer is expected 

to take up a commercial licence to exploit the 

technology in wheat and assist in delivering 

varieties with the trait to the Australian and 

overseas markets. 

The GRDC and CSIRO also explored whether 

this yield gene technology has application 

in other crops. For example, increasing the 

biomass and yields of sorghum could increase 

the value of sorghum as a feed grain crop. In 

2011–12, the GRDC and CSIRO engaged an 

international commercial partner in a research 

collaboration to determine whether the yield 

gene technology can boost the biomass and 

yields of sorghum. This collaboration is also 

supported by the livestock R&D corporations 

that are members of the Australian Feedgrain 

R&D Partnership.

High-amylose wheat 

High-amylose wheat produces a high level of 

resistant starch, which is important in bowel 

health. It also has a lower glycaemic index 

than other starches, with benefits for managing 

body weight and stabilising blood glucose 

levels. Arista Cereal Technologies Pty Ltd, a 

joint venture between the GRDC, CSIRO and 

French company Limagrain Céréals Ingrédients, 

is generating high-amylose wheat lines. In 

2011–12, the Australian shareholders initiated 

a process to identify and engage a logistics 

manager to deliver high-amylose wheat lines to 

market in Australia. 

Ultra-low gluten barley 

Since 2003, the GRDC has supported 

work by CSIRO Plant Industry to develop 

‘ultra-low gluten’ barley, a cereal grain that 

could be safely consumed by people with 

coeliac disease. Through conventional 

breeding approaches, the project has 

developed barley lines with very low gluten 

content. In 2011–12, the project implemented 

an intensive cross-breeding program to improve 

the grain quality and agronomic backgrounds 

of the lines; and conducted field trials to 

generate sufficient quantities of grain to enable 

commercial-scale evaluation of the material by 

the commercial partner. 

Crop Biofactories Initiative 

The Crop Biofactories Initiative is a joint 

investment between the GRDC and CSIRO 

that is developing safflower seeds with 

fatty acid compositions that match specific 

industrial applications, to replace products 

that are currently manufactured from 

petrochemical feedstocks. 

In 2011–12, the Crop Biofactories Initiative 

reached a significant milestone with the 

development of a safflower line with seed oil 

containing more than 90 percent oleic acid, 

the world’s highest level of acid in a seed oil. 

The Crop Biofactories Initiative secured patent 

positions in early 2012, which enabled the 

initiative to publicly announce its success and 

commercialisation directions, and to begin to 

engage with potential commercial partners who 

could assist in bringing the new safflower lines 

to market in Australia. 

To assist with the commercialisation of a new 

industrial safflower variety, the GRDC also 

invested in a project with the New South Wales 

Department of Primary Industries to evaluate a 

collection of international safflower germplasm 

for performance in the Australian environment. 

The collection of lines carries important traits 

such as no spines, disease resistance and 

increased seed oil content, as well as 

short-season and long-season growing traits 

which may be useful to develop industrial 

safflower varieties that have good field 

performance. In 2011–12, the lines were 

multiplied and preliminary data on field 

performance and oil properties was collected. 

Processing technology 

for low-protein flour 

A GRDC investment with the Centre for Grain 

Food Innovation in Western Australia developed 

a prototype dough-sheeting line to process 

high-moisture, low-protein wheat flour. This 

new processing method looks highly promising 

for making bread products from low-protein 

Australian wheats and is aimed at the growing 

Asian bakery market, which currently uses 

mostly high-protein wheats from North America. 

Results from the project in 2011–12 showed 

that when doughs from Australia and the 

United States were mixed with higher moisture 

than normally considered optimal for the flour, 

an Australian flour with 10.4 percent protein, 

derived from the Wyalkatchem wheat variety, 

had the best sheetability and baking qualities. 

Further development and validation of this 

processing technology will be undertaken 

within the newly formed Australian Export Grain 

Innovation Centre, a partnership between the 

GRDC and the Department of Agriculture and 

Food, Western Australia. 

Collaborative research for 

post-harvest integrity 

The GRDC is a participant in the Cooperative 

Research Centre for National Plant Biosecurity. 

The centre’s post-harvest integrity research 

program, which delivers research outputs 

to address issues in post-harvest storage of 

grain, is a collaborative investment involving the 

GRDC, the Australian Government, bulk grain 

handling companies and research agencies. 

The GRDC participated in the advisory panel that 

developed project proposals for the program. 

In 2011–12, the program delivered outputs 

in areas of diagnostics, surveillance systems, 

57 

GRDC Annual Report 2011–2012 Output Group 3—New Products

58 



alternatives to phosphine and storage structure 

integrity. Highlights included the development 

of new diagnostics to determine the phosphine 

resistance status of grain storage insects, 

and a low-oxygen atmosphere protocol to 

control insects as an alternative to chemical 

control methods. 

The program also completed and reported on 

work related to: 

• strategic monitoring, in which insect samples 

are collected from key points through the 

supply chain based on a standardised 

survey. This work annually involves about 

150 farms in the Northern Region, 250 farms 

in the Southern Region and 600 farms in the 

Western Region. In total about 2,500 insect 

samples have been established for insect 

testing across grain-growing regions. 

• tactical monitoring, in which insect samples 

are received from bulk handlers seeking 

an immediate diagnosis to inform timely 

decisions on treatment. This work annually 

involves about 100 insect samples from 

the Northern Region, 250 samples from 

the Southern Region and 100 samples 

from the Western Region. 

New farm products and 

services 

The GRDC supports the development and 

commercialisation of technologies that are 

identified as having the greatest potential to 

deliver benefits to the grains industry. Potential 

technologies are subjected to careful market 

evaluation, and a business case is developed to 

justify each potential investment. 

In 2011–12, the work supported by the GRDC 

to develop new farm products and services 

included: 

• developing a virus-based insecticide for the 

control of diamondback moth in canola. 

Based on a granulovirus, the product will 

fit well into integrated pest management 

programs as well as allowing late-season 

applications. A commercial partner has 

been brought in to do parallel research 

into the manufacturing and formulation 

of the product. 

• researching biopesticide options for the 

alleviation of nematodes in cereals. Root 

lesion nematode is a major pest of cereals in 

Australia, costing an estimated $100 million 

in production per year in wheat and barley. 

This project will investigate the opportunity 

to use a biological agent to reduce the 

impact of the pest through the protection of 

fine root hairs. 

• designing and building a pilot plant for the 

conversion of liquid waste streams into 

economically viable fertiliser. Following a 

successful survey and economic analysis of 

waste streams, contracts were made for the 

establishment of pilot plants. The first will 

be a plant producing the fertiliser ingredient 

struvite from the liquid waste from an abattoir 

and feedlot complex. Discussions with Meat 

& Livestock Australia regarding potential joint 

investment have been positive. 

The GRDC also funded activities to develop 

information resources that will help Australian 

wheat to compete in export markets in 

2011–12. One project is developing a choice 

analysis approach to define the end user’s 

needs for wheat functionality. ‘Choice analysis’ 

is a method used in applied economics to 

ascertain the relative or weighted value that 

a consumer places on attributes of a product. 

Through a complex questioning methodology 

the consumer is guided to provide quantitative 

values for particular attributes (in this case, 

traits such as milling yield, colour or protein 

content). Japanese millers, who collectively 

represent almost 75 percent of Japan’s total 

market for wheat, will be surveyed using this 

technique, providing valuable feedback for 

use by exporters, growers and breeders of 

Australian wheat. 

A GRDC-supported barley variety identification 

project has led to the establishment of a 

commercial service that enables growers 

to have samples of their barley seed tested 

for variety and purity. The barley variety 

identification technology will be commercialised 

through Diversity Arrays Technology Pty Ltd and 

GrainGrowers Limited. Through its analytical 

laboratory, GrainGrowers will offer growers the 

opportunity to test the variety and genetic purity 

of barley seed samples later in 2012 through a 

cost-effective service. 

In 2011–12, work commenced to extend 

the technology platform that underlies the 

barley-testing service to the testing of wheat. 

The research involves building baseline profiles 

of more than 200 pedigree samples held at 

the Australian Winter Cereals Collection, then 

comparing those profiles to more than 2,000

samples collected from across the major wheatgrowing 

regions of Australia. The final testing 

platform is expected to be able to accurately 

identify both variety and genetic purity from a 

small sample of grain. 

The GRDC’s other commercialisation activities in 

2011–12 included signing: 

• a commercial licence agreement to take 

the Harrington Weed Seed Destructor 

technology to market. Following an extensive 

evaluation process, deBruin Engineering Pty 

Ltd, based in South Australia, was chosen 

to commercialise the technology. Growers 

around Australia have shown significant 

interest, and the company is planning to have 

a limited number of machines ready for the 

2012 harvest season. 

• a development and commercialisation 

agreement to manage the DGT (diffusive 

gradients in thin films) soil-testing product and 

Case study 

its introduction into laboratories. The Back 

Paddock Company, based in Queensland, 

was chosen to manage the product. 

The company is committed to training 

and educating staff in soil-testing laboratories, 

consultants, agronomists and farmers on the 

benefits of using the DGT technology for the 

testing of phosphorus in soil. 

Progress was also made towards the 

commercialisation of two other novel 

technologies arising from GRDC-supported 

research. An expression of interest process 

was run to find a commercial partner to 

take the GLO2 grain fumigant product to 

market; a company has been approached 

and negotiations are underway. A new project 

has commenced to use the MEMS IR (microelectrical 

mechanical systems—infrared) 

technology to develop an instrument for 

measuring important soil attributes such as 

moisture profile and nitrogen content. 

Safflower is set to become a sustainable source of 

industrial oils 

The Crop Biofactories Initiative reached a significant milestone in 2011–12, with the development of 

a new type of safflower that produces seed oil uniquely suited to industrial applications. 

The Crop Biofactories Initiative is a strategic research and product development partnership 

between CSIRO and the GRDC. It aims to develop safflower varieties with oil compositions suitable 

for industrial uses, to be used as the basis for a new crop industry for Australian growers. 

The research team has developed safflower plants that produce seed oil that has the potential to 

replace petroleum-based feedstock in the manufacture of a number of industrial products, such as 

plastics, hydraulic fluids and lubricants. The safflower seed oil contains more than 90 percent oleic 

acid, which is the highest level of purity of an individual fatty acid currently available in any plant. 

Plant oils contain a range of fatty acids including both monounsaturates and polyunsaturates. 

For food use it is important to have a healthy balance of the two. However, the polyunsaturates 

cause problems for industrial use because they are unstable and difficult to remove during oil 

processing. To circumvent such problems, CSIRO silenced select safflower genes in order to 

switch off the conversion of oleic acid to the unwanted polyunsaturates. 

The plants are classified as genetically modified (GM), and before new varieties are released they will 

need to undergo a regulatory approval that involves up to five years of field trials and other tests in 

Australian and other markets. 

Once approved for commercial release, the varieties will initially be promoted for use in northern 

New South Wales and southern Queensland paddocks. These regions will be targeted to tap local 

expertise in modern agricultural methods acquired from growing GM cotton and to take advantage 

of pre-existing oil-extracting facilities. 

The Crop Biofactories Initiative is engaging in discussions with local and international companies 

with a view to forming a commercial partnership to help develop this crop variety. 

59 


60 



Table 18: New Products overview 

Output Group 3—New Products 

Objective 

Deliver new products and services (both on farm and off farm) that will assist growers to 

effectively compete in global grain markets 

Strategies 

Identify national and international technology relevant to the grains industry 

Develop partnerships to deliver new technology 

Undertake product development to meet market requirements 

Build robust business cases that demonstrate stakeholder return on investment 





Identify national and international technology relevant to the grains industry 

AOP & PBS: Identify six 

new technologies and at 

least one new international 

supplier, including 

unsolicited offers 

Develop partnerships to deliver new technology 

AOP & PBS: Existing and 

new partnerships to deliver 

technology to growers 

• Scoping of opportunities for the use 

of triticale and sorghum to make biobased 

industrial products. 

• Scoping of further export development 

opportunities where targeted R&D 

investments open up precompetitive 

positions for Australian grains. 

• Completion of a market study to identify 

product development technologies for 

small and medium-sized bakeries. 

• Engagement of a partner to identify 

safflower lines with improved 

agronomic performance and end-use 

quality. 

• Joint development with a major enzyme 

company of an optimised process for 

brewing beer from Australian barley. 

• Engagement of a commercial partner 

for the delivery of the yield gene 

technology in wheat. 

• Engagement of a partner to develop 

and market the DGT (diffusive gradients 

in thin films) soil-testing technology to 

Australian growers. 

• Progress in establishing a path to 

market for high-amylose wheat. 

• Establishment of a path to market 

for, and licensing of, the barley variety 

identification test, following industry 

engagement. 

• Development of a strategic relationship 

with an international biopesticide 

company to evaluate products in 

professional formulations. 

Opportunities for industrial uses of triticale and 

sorghum were not scoped. 

Extension of the Chinese noodle project into 

steamed breads and other products through 

COFCO, China’s largest importer and trader of 

grain. 

Consideration of GRDC investment in a program to 

improve canola meal quality. 

Completion of a market study of product 

opportunities for small and medium-sized bakeries 

in Asia. 

Contracting of the New South Wales Department of 

Primary Industries to evaluate safflower germplasm. 

Successful testing of all major malting varieties and 

commencement of trial shipments to Asia. 

Engagement of a commercial partner to evaluate 

field performance of the yield gene technology in 

wheat. 

Commercial partnership with Brisbane-based Back 

Paddock Company. 

Ongoing negotiations with potential commercial 

partners for North America. Initiation of a process 

to identify a commercial partner for Australia and 

New Zealand. 

Commencement of a commercial partnership and 

plans to launch the product in August 2012. 

Relationships with two manufacturers being 

developed, with field testing underway.

Table 18: New Products overview (continued) 



Undertake product development to meet market requirements 

AOP & PBS: New products 

identified and market 

assessments undertaken 

and new products tested 

under market conditions 

• Evaluation of the ultra-low gluten barley 

product with a commercial partner. 

• Production of urea and other fertiliserbased 

products from waste streams 

and biological processes. 

• Evaluation of international safflower 

germplasm for suitability as parent 

germplasm for outputs from the Crop 

Biofactories Initiative. 

• Progress towards the proof-of-concept 

for yield gene technology in corn and 

sorghum. 

• Formulation of studies to identify the 

necessary parameters for the inclusion 

of lupin flour into breads made from 

Western Australia’s ‘low-protein’ flours. 

• Testing of a new enzyme additive that 

improves the digestibility of sorghum in 

ruminants. 

Build robust business cases that demonstrate stakeholder return on investment 

AOP & PBS: Development 

of robust business cases 

to justify GRDC investment 

and to attract co-investment 

• Completion of business cases for all 

investments greater than $250,000 per 

annum. 



Semi-commercial scale evaluation of ultra-low 

gluten barley with commercial partner. 

A pilot production plant, attached to a sewage 

plant, producing product for field trials. 

Safflower germplasm evaluation contracted with 

the New South Wales Department of Primary 

Industries. Additional safflower material sourced 

from international collaborators. 

Engagement of a commercial partner to determine 

proof-of-concept for yield gene technology in 

sorghum. 

Determination of variation in protein cross-linking 

and textural properties of different lupin–wheat flour 

mixes. 

Commencement of enzyme combination testing in 

live animals. 

Presentation of four business cases at investment 

planning week for major projects. 

• Development and commercialisation of a new product for the control of diamondback 

moth. 

• A biopesticide product for control of stored-grain insects in and around storage 

complexes and between seasons. 

• Further development of an infrared soil probe for rapid measurement of soil moisture and 

soil nutrients. 

• Development of a biopolymer for counteracting non-wetting soils. 

• Evaluation of the potential of transferring the sorghum stay-green drought adaptation 

technology into wheat and other crops. 

• Evaluation of commercial opportunities for GM herbicide-resistant lupins in Australia. 

• Evaluation of commercial opportunities for the outputs of the GRDC’s triple-rust project 

with CSIRO. 

• Focus on generating a transgenic event suitable for deregulation to produce super-high 

oleic acid safflower through the Crop Biofactories Initiative. 

61 


Output Group 4—Communication 

& Capacity Building 

62 



Effective communication is vital to: 

• increase understanding and awareness of 

the GRDC, and how the organisation is a 

leader in rural RD&E and provides value for 

money to the grains industry, the Australian 

Government and the wider community 

• promote awareness and adoption of 

the outcomes of the GRDC’s RD&E 

investments, to help achieve the GRDC’s 

primary objective of supporting the grains 

industry’s competitiveness through enhanced 

profitability and sustainability. 

The Communication & Capacity Building 

output group produced high-quality, innovative 

communication products to meet grains 

industry needs, and invested in a range of 

programs to enhance awareness and adoption 

of the outcomes of GRDC investments. 

Australian grain growers are a diverse audience, 

and their information needs and preferred 

delivery mechanisms vary. Recognising this, 

the output group used a combination of 

print, electronic, audio, video and multimedia 

channels to reach growers, and began 

developing a strategy to use social media as 

a way to further interact and communicate 

with stakeholders. 

Communication & Capacity Building 

participated in joint activities with research 

partners, government agencies and industry 

bodies, recognising the important role they 

play in influencing on-farm decision making. 

Such collaboration helps to optimise the 

dissemination of new information. 

The output group also supported initiatives 

to encourage and develop capacity in 

education, training and technology transfer 

for researchers and the wider industry. 

By supporting activities that encourage new 

entrants, as well as supporting continuing 

professional development, the GRDC aims to 

build a dynamic and resilient team to ensure the 

ongoing prosperity of Australia’s grains industry. 


Communication & Capacity Building output 

group against its performance measures for 

2011–12 and its objectives and strategies 

CONTENTS 

Communication campaigns 

Media training 

Information packaging 

Publications 

Awards and scholarships 

Industry conferences 

Extension and adoption training and 

support 

Capacity-building collaborations 

Case studies 


Communication & Capacity Building 

overview 


for 2007–12. The following sections describe 

some of the results of the output group’s work 

during the year. 

Communication 

campaigns 

During 2011–12, the GRDC effectively 

implemented a range of communication 

campaigns that focused on priority issues 

identified by the GRDC’s regional advisory 

panels and delivered tangible outcomes for 

grains growers and the Australian Government. 

Australian Year of the Farmer 

partnership 

The GRDC entered into a partnership with 

Australian Year of the Farmer Limited, a 

non-profit organisation established to raise 

awareness of farm production, reinforce 

the relationship between rural and urban 

communities and educate Australians about the 

role of farmers during 2012. GRDC-supported

initiatives as part of the partnership included 

the development of three SkillsOne television 

segments that will be aired nationally on 

pay television in July 2012; promotion of the 

GRDC’s Grain Inventors program, which will 

be launched in September 2012; and joint 

cross-promotion of GRDC and Australian Year 

of the Farmer activities. 

Climate communication 

The Climate Champions program developed 

strong strategic links with individuals and 

national and local organisations. National 

workshops, including a National Press Club 

event in March 2012, continued to link 

participants with researchers and climate 

experts. The program received strong media 

coverage, with an average of three media items 

a week, and was one of three finalists in the 

prestigious 2011 Australian Museum Eureka 

Prizes, in the category of ‘Advancement of 

Climate Change Knowledge’. 

A GRDC climate webpage was created, 

providing downloadable copies of plain 

English summaries of climate-related research, 

Top Paddock fact sheets, a news and events 

feed showing climate-related articles and 

events, and links to the Agri Climate Culture 

website. The website (www.agriclimateculture. 

com.au) is Australia’s first agriculture and climate 

blog and discussion site for advisers, growers 

and researchers. Its forum is open to anyone to 

post or answer questions and share thoughts, 

tips and tools. 

A research knowledge audit was completed; 

42 plain English summaries of research were 

produced and re-purposed for the new GRDC 

website. This information also underpinned the 

development of Top Paddock climate-related 

fact sheets. Fourteen Top Paddock fact sheets 

and a folder showcasing GRDC-supported 

climate-related research were written, printed 

and distributed. 

Over the Fence multimedia 

campaign 

The GRDC’s successful Over the Fence 

multimedia campaign entered its third year in 

2011–12. The campaign highlights outcomes 

from more than 20 GRDC-funded research 

areas and effectively uses video to facilitate 

grower-to-grower communication. 

In 2011–12, the campaign released 36 media 

packages, including videos, articles and 

photographs. The packages were distributed: 

• via selected rural weekly newspapers, with 

a combined circulation figure exceeding 

117,000 across Queensland, New South 

Wales, Victoria, South Australia and 

Western Australia 

• online through portals such as Farmonline, 

which receives more than 90,000 visits from 

unique Australian users per month. 

The campaign achieved 100 percent uptake by 

media, including a regular monthly publication 

on the grains page of the Queensland Country 

Life website (with GRDC branding). 

Grain storage strategy 

In September 2011, the GRDC commenced 

a communications strategy to encourage 

best practice in on-farm grain storage among 

growers in the Northern and Southern regions. 

The strategy builds on the large amount of 

available knowledge about grain storage, 

by updating and localising content, filling 

information gaps, and pointing growers towards 

the GRDC-supported stored-grain information 

hub (www.storedgrain.com.au) and new GRDC 

fact sheets. 

Communication consultants worked closely with 

the experts involved in the GRDC-funded Grain 

Storage Extension Project, to generate timely 

information articles for the different regions 

of Australia on topics such as hygiene and 

structural treatments for grain storages, preharvest 

planning, and temperature and pressure 

management. In 2011–12, nine feature editorials 

were distributed nationally; collectively, they 

generated around 120 media articles via print, 

radio or social media. 

The first of three videos that will be developed 

under the strategy, Getting the Best out of your 

Aeration Cooling, was released in 2011–12 and 

made available on the GRDC website and the 

stored grain information hub. 

Interactive displays at field days 

The GRDC has developed an interactive 

national display for use at field days and events 

to help to communicate the diversity of the 

GRDC’s RD&E portfolio to growers and other 

stakeholders. The display includes interactive 

demonstrations with microscopes to view 

damaged grain, spray nozzle demonstrations, 

63 

GRDC Annual Report 2011–2012 Output Group 4—Communication & Capacity Building

64 



The GRDC provides interactive displays on current research at 

field days. Photo: GRDC 

Petri dishes filled with weather-damaged 

grains and other displays. Regional interactive 

displays have also been developed for each of 

the grain-growing regions. 

Wheat breeding strategy 

The wheat breeding communications strategy 

was developed in 2010 and implemented during 

2010, 2011 and 2012. It was designed to raise 

awareness of the structure of wheat breeding in 

Australia, and the GRDC’s role in that, among 

growers and other grains industry participants. 

Key messages included: 

• The GRDC’s involvement in wheat breeding 

has changed because the environment for 

wheat breeding in Australia has changed. 

• The industry is now better positioned to 

make significant progress in wheat breeding 

than it ever was before. 

• The GRDC now invests heavily in 

pre-breeding to discover novel genes 

and deliver germplasm to help crack the 

‘hard nuts’. This pre-breeding will result in 

new varieties with improved drought, frost 

and salinity tolerance and improved disease 

and sprouting resistance. 

• Genetic gain is the one real opportunity for 

further significant leaps in grain productivity. 

• National and international collaboration will 

ensure that Australian breeders can access 

the most sophisticated technology, the time 

taken to breed new varieties can be halved, 

and potential gains in productivity can be 

realised. 

Activities in 2011–12 included arranging 

presentations to GRDC Grower and Adviser 

Updates and other key regional grower 

meetings; publishing editorial features, 

media releases and information sheets; and 

conducting a webcast. Key results included: 

• face-to-face presentations made to 1,060 

growers and advisers 

• print and online features read by 637,053 

readers in more than 50 print, radio and 

online articles 

• two information sheets distributed to 

growers—40,400 copies via Ground Cover 

and 2,500 copies via Grower Updates 

• a media release about the webcast read 

by 361,273 readers in more than 30 print 

and online articles (not including ABC 

broadcasts), with the webcast viewed live 

by 300 growers and industry stakeholders. 

High-rainfall zone campaign 

The GRDC conducted a multifaceted campaign, 

HRZ—the New Grains Horizon, to raise grower 

awareness of opportunities to increase the 

productivity of cropping in the high-rainfall 

zone of the Southern Region. The campaign 

focused on issues such as perennial pastures, 

dual-purpose cereals, raised beds, and 

management of pests and diseases. 

The campaign included 10 media releases and 

four feature articles distributed to an extensive 

media list in 2011–12, and achieved high levels 

of media uptake and interest. 

A feature of the campaign was HoRiZon, a 

12-page, full-colour biannual newsletter that 

was produced in hard copy and electronically 

for distribution to 15 grower groups across 

southern Australia. It featured research results 

and grower case studies and was well received. 

Another feature was short vodcasts (online 

videos) on timely cereal rust management in the 

high-rainfall zone, developed and recorded by 

researchers working in the area and delivered 

via the GRDC’s YouTube channel and by email 

to grower groups. 

Media training 

Tailored media and presentation skills training 

was delivered to all newly appointed GRDC 

panel members to increase their confidence 

in dealing with the media and presenting in 

public. This training supports the delivery 

of the GRDC’s media program and ensures 

that panel members are prepared to provide 

appropriate information about GRDC 

investments to journalists, to interact with the 

media, and to effectively represent the GRDC 

at various events.

Information packaging 

In 2011–12 the GRDC provided pre-packaged 

content on the most recent research results 

relevant to grower needs, in readily accessible 

and user-friendly formats that met the needs of 

a diverse range of audiences. 

Audio and video 

During 2011–12, the GRDC: 

• developed and produced three episodes of 

Ground Cover TV and distributed them on 

DVDs to all recipients of the Ground Cover 

newspaper 

• distributed 50 Driving Agronomy radio 

programs to commercial radio stations 

• packaged 24 interviews for distribution 

through the RadioWest Network 

• produced 36 Over the Fence videos and 

written articles for the Farmonline website 

and print media 

• conducted two webcasts 

• released the first edition of In The Field, a 

video bulletin by GRDC Managing Director 

John Harvey, for screening via the GRDC’s 

YouTube channel. 

Where appropriate, the packages were 

cross-promoted, and materials were made 

widely available through the GRDC’s website 

and YouTube channel. 

Website 

The GRDC’s website provides online access 

to information about the GRDC, including 

information on the GRDC’s events and 

publications and outcomes of the projects in 

the GRDC’s investment portfolio. 

On average, the GRDC’s website homepage 

received 9,856 unique visitors per month in 

2011–12. Of the 196,803 visitors received 

in 2011–12, 56.2 percent were new visitors. 

The bookshop page received 9,653 unique 

page views during the year, making it the most 

popular single module on the site. 

Since the current version of the website was 

launched, in July 2007, the GRDC has added 

more than 20,000 pages of content and 

numerous functions and features. In 2011–12, 

the GRDC commenced a major overhaul of 

the site, to address feedback received from 

stakeholders and GRDC staff. 

The redeveloped site includes an entirely new 

look and feel, improved navigation and search 

functionality, improved linkages to the GRDC’s 

multimedia and social media content, and an 

improved capability to see regionalised and 

timely information via personal computer or 

smartphone/tablet devices. 

The site has undergone rigorous testing and 

grower focus group evaluation and will be 

launched in July 2012. 

Fax and SMS 

In 2011–12, the GRDC introduced fax 

campaigns as part of the expanded suite of 

delivery options available via its customer 

relationship management database. A total of 

124 email, fax and SMS alerts were sent out 

to grain growers and industry. These alerts 

included the promotion of GRDC-supported 

activities such as GRDC updates and specific 

workshops, as well as timely and regionally 

targeted information on climate, disease and 

pest management. 

The use of SMS was also trialled at the 

Innovation Generation Conference held in 

Western Australia in July 2011. Conference 

participants were provided with the latest 

information on GRDC investments via SMS 

and an SMS-based social media survey was 

conducted. 

Publications 

The GRDC produces a range of publications, 

most of which are distributed free to grain 

growers and made available via the GRDC’s 

website. Details of the new publications 

released in 2011–12 are in Appendix D. 

Ground Cover newspaper and 

supplements 

In 2011–12, to accompany the release 

of each bi-monthly regional edition of the 

GRDC’s newspaper Ground Cover, the GRDC 

generated either an email alert with visuals or 

a text message promoting selected key articles 

in the Ground Cover newspaper, Ground 

Cover supplements or issue-specific GRDC 

fact sheets. The notifications also pointed to 

important information on the GRDC’s website 

which was relevant to the particular region. 

Recipients of the emails were able to forward 

the content to their peers; this contributed 

to a substantial increase in Ground Cover 

65 


66 



subscribers from 39,000 in 2010–11 to just 

over 42,000 in 2011–12. The Grower Survey 

conducted in the first half of 2012 revealed 

that 65 percent of respondents valued Ground 

Cover ‘a lot’—an increase of nine points from 

the previous survey in 2010. 

To ensure that the newspaper continues to 

be relevant and timely, the GRDC has added 

regular dedicated pages on issues such 

as spray application, grain marketing, risk 

management and farm business management. 

Grower fact sheets 

During 2011–12, a total of 34 fact sheets, 

covering both national and regional issues, were 

published and distributed to grain growers and 

industry through the Ground Cover newspaper. 

Several fact sheets related to on-farm grain 

storage or effective spray application; other 

topics included aspects of weed, pest and 

disease management. 

Technical reports 

The final reports of GRDC-supported research 

projects sometimes contain information of 

immediate interest to grain growers, particularly 

where the research relates to an industry-wide 

issue. In some cases, the GRDC has the 

information repackaged for a wider readership 

in a technical report. One such report, Weather 

Essentials for Pesticide Application, was 

published by the GRDC in early 2012. 

This research report was presented in plain 

English as a booklet which aimed to help both 

growers and spray rig operators to understand, 

observe and interpret local weather conditions 

so that they can plan and effectively execute 

spray applications to avoid spray drift. 

In response to a high level of interest in the 

technical report, the GRDC presented a summary 

of the content in a fact sheet on surface 

temperature inversions and spraying, which was 

distributed nationally to grain growers through 

the Ground Cover newspaper. Requests for bulk 

copies of both the research report and the fact 

sheet were also received from participants in the 

horticultural and wine industries. 

Awards and scholarships 

The GRDC helps to build capacity in the 

Australian grains industry and related research 

disciplines by providing targeted awards and 

scholarships. The GRDC places a high priority 

on the dissemination and communication of 

knowledge and learning outcomes gained from 

the experiences offered by these awards. 

Education and training scholarships 

The GRDC offers six categories of education 

and training scholarships for financial assistance 

to Australian students, permanent residency 

students, Australian R&D personnel and 

overseas R&D personnel, to support study 

which may ultimately benefit the Australian 


The scholarships awarded in 2011–12 are 

summarised in Table 19; more details are 

provided in Appendix B. 

Table 19 : Education and training scholarships granted in 2011–12 

Title Eligible candidates Period No. 

Agricultural Training Awards 

Grains Industry Undergraduate 

Honours Scholarships 

Grains Industry Research 

Scholarships 

Grains Industry Indigenous 

Training Awards 

Grains Industry In-Service 

Training Awards 

Grains Industry Visiting 

Fellowships 

Students undertaking full-time study at a recognised vocational 

education and training provider institution. 

Students of excellence proceeding to undergraduate honours study 

in a field relevant to the future of the Australian grains industry. 

Students of excellence proceeding to postgraduate study in a field 

relevant to the future of the Australian grains industry. 

Indigenous Australians undertaking work placements, tertiary study 

and other forms of training approved by the GRDC. 

Younger scientists, advisers, technical staff and others engaged in 

work relevant to GRDC objectives that may not be eligible for other 

forms of support—funding will be considered for travel, secondment 

or interchange between institutions. 

Overseas R&D personnel who are able to enhance programs 

supported by the GRDC with their specific skills. 

1 year 12 

1 year 17 

3 years 11 

Up to 3 

years 

0 

6 months 0 

2–12 

months 

0 

Note: In three categories, awards were not granted because no applications were received.

Travel awards 

The GRDC granted 13 travel awards in 

2011–12. The awards are granted to 

researchers or students within the Australian 

grains industry who wish to attend a conference 

or undertake travel that aligns with the GRDC’s 

corporate objectives and demonstrates benefit 

to the Australian grains industry. 

Travel award recipients are selected against 

the selection criteria and the GRDC’s priority 

research areas. The main criteria used in 

evaluating applications are: 

• the likely benefit to the Australian grains 

industry 

• the scope of the proposed plan for 

communicating the learning gained from 

the travel 

• the level of financial support from the 

applicant’s employer 

• previous travel grants received by the 

applicant from the GRDC or other 

organisations 

• previous travel undertaken by the applicant 

• whether the applicant will be making 

a presentation at a conference. 

Industry Development Awards 

These awards allow groups of Australian grain 

growers to take part in study tours and other 

forms of training that will help them develop new 

skills, build relationships and contribute to the 

sustainability and profitability of the Australian 


Industry conferences 

The GRDC sponsors organisations that wish to 

conduct a conference, workshop, seminar or 

field day that will directly benefit the Australian 

grains industry; 40 were sponsored in 2011–12. 

The GRDC also participates in industry 

conferences, through displays, presentations 

and face-to-face interactions. Such participation 

provides an opportunity for the GRDC to raise 

awareness of its role and activities, deliver key 

messages about R&D outcomes in a relevant 

context, and learn about the interests and 

concerns of grain growers and other industry 

participants. 

Examples in 2011–12 included: 

• the inaugural Innovation Generation 

Conference, held in Fremantle, Western 

Australia, in July 2011. The conference 

encouraged delegates to think beyond the 

farm gate and develop their knowledge of 

the supply chain and market impacts on their 

businesses. The GRDC had a display and 

made a presentation that focused on social 

media platforms in agriculture and challenged 

the audience to determine priority methods 

to extend RD&E information using new media 

and novel technologies. Attendees were 

interviewed using mobile smartphone/tablet 

devices and web-based surveys, providing 

feedback that will inform the GRDC’s social 

media strategy. 

• the Sustaining Rural Communities 

conference, held in Narrabri, New South 

Wales, in April 2012. Addressing the theme 

‘Local Solutions to National Issues’, the 

conference involved presentations from a 

range of sectors: government, agricultural 

industries, small business, mining, 

manufacturing, finance, tourism, transport, 

science, education and health professions. 

The GRDC had a display promoting its 

capacity-building investments, which helped 

to connect people from many networks 

with GRDC-supported projects such as 

the Primary Industry Centre for Science 

Education. 

Extension and adoption 

training and support 

Agronomists and extension specialists are 

recognised as important sources of information 

and motivation for growers, especially 

when growers are adopting new practices. 

Yet many of these specialists work in small 

businesses and have little opportunity to access 

training in the use of the latest methods and 

tools for information delivery. 

The GRDC Extension and Adoption Training 

and Support program, which commenced 

in 2010, was designed to help experienced 

agronomists and extension specialists to 

achieve greater uptake of best practice, 

and improve their understanding of how to 

effectively communicate technical information to 

individuals and groups with different motivations 

and styles of learning. Participants are involved 

in the program for one year. 

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In 2011–12, the program included three-day 

workshops, held in Canberra, at which 

participants were updated on the GRDC’s 

operations, senior personnel and investments, 

and learned about the use of current and 

developing technology for extension. 

The course covered topics such as how to 

use webinars, RSS feeds and YouTube for 

extension, as well as applications that are 

available or being developed for mobile phones. 

Each participant makes a commitment to: 

• create a plan for action throughout the year 

to help further develop their skills and their 

application of what they learned 

• mentor a young person in the grains industry 

to help ensure that their new skills are shared 

widely. 

The program includes a field tour to visit 

agronomists and implement skills, which the 

participants will undertake in August 2012. 

Capacity-building 

collaborations 

The GRDC collaborates with other organisations 

to leverage their individual contributions to 

more effectively build capacity across Australian 

primary industries, with particular benefits for 

the grains industry. In 2011–12 the GRDC 

contribution included support for programs 

for high school students; research grants for 

university students, researchers and growers; 

and professional development opportunities for 

future leaders. 

Primary Industry Centre for Science 

Education 

The Primary Industry Centre for Science 

Education (PICSE) is a partnership funded by 

the Australian Government, universities, rural 

RDCs and primary industry bodies to attract 

students into tertiary science and increase the 

number of professionals in agribusiness and 

research institutions. It delivers class activities, 

teachers’ professional development, teaching 

resources, student camps and student industry 

placement programs. 

The GRDC supports the centre as a means 

to increase participation in science education, 

particularly in tertiary agricultural science, to 

address current and predicted skills shortages 

in the grains industry. 

In 2011–12, science education officers spoke 

to 6,520 year 11 and year 12 students in 

science classes in 141 schools across Australia, 

presenting GRDC research with local relevance. 

Eight five-day industry–science residential 

camps were run for 168 year 11 and year 12 

students as a prerequisite for five-day industry 

placements with scientists during January 2012. 

At least five PICSE activity centres arranged 

grains-focused placements for students. 

Two students from each Activity Centre were 

awarded travel scholarships to a camp in 

another state, funded by national industry 

partners such as the GRDC. One student 

travelled from Queensland to Western Australia 

while another travelled from Queensland 

to Tasmania. Each student wrote a report 

describing their experience and a thank you 

letter to the GRDC. 

Eight two-day professional development 

sessions for teachers were delivered 

Australia-wide to 157 year 11 and year 12 

science teachers, with each program linked 

to local industries and a host university. The 

common topic for the year was ‘The science 

relating to food and water security’, and each 

activity centre customised the topic with local 

relevant examples of industry extension and 

research pertaining to the state curriculum. 

One teacher from each activity centre was 

awarded a travel scholarship to a professional 

development session in another state, funded 

by national industry partners. GRDC funding 

allowed one teacher from South Australia to 

attend a professional development session at 

the University of Western Australia in Perth. 

National Youth Science Forum 

The GRDC supports the National Youth Science 

Forum, which aims to encourage students 

from across Australia to enter science- or 

engineering-based university courses and to 

explore associated careers. 

The forum includes intensive residential 

programs, follow-up seminars and visits to 

various university campuses and industry 

sites around Australia. The experience 

involves presentations, debates, personal 

development sessions and visits to science, 

research and engineering facilities. Around 40 

of the top students are selected for leadership 

development and take on the role of team 

leaders at the following year’s forum.

The 2011–12 forum included three 12-day 

intensive residential programs involving a total 

of 450 year 12 science students. Two programs 

were held at the Australian National University, 

Australian Capital Territory, and one was held at 

Curtin University, Western Australia. 

Four GRDC staff members gave presentations 

at the programs, including information about 

their own journeys through agricultural science. 

Staff also held informal discussions with each of 

the student groups during the program. 

CSIRO Plant Industry Summer 

Student Program 

The GRDC is a sponsor of the CSIRO Plant 

Industry Summer Student Program. The 

program runs for 10 weeks and is tailored for 

second- and third-year university students. 

Each student works on a project alongside 

a CSIRO research scientist at one of CSIRO 

Plant Industry’s sites, in Adelaide, Brisbane, 

Canberra, Narrabri (New South Wales) or 

Perth. Projects are designed to ensure that 

students have the opportunity to learn new 

techniques and approaches, and to understand 

the importance of scientific research in the 

context of the delivery of practical outcomes. 

At the completion of the program, the students 

prepare final reports on their findings and 

present their results in a public forum. 

Science and Innovation Awards 

for Young People in Agriculture, 

Fisheries and Forestry 

The GRDC is a sponsor of the Science 

and Innovation Awards for Young People in 

Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. 

The awards, which are coordinated by ABARES, 

aim to encourage science, innovation and 

technology in rural industries and to advance 

the careers of young scientists through national 

recognition of their research ideas. The awards 

are open to applicants aged between 18 and 35 

who have proposals for innovative research that 

will benefit rural industries. 

In 2011–12, the GRDC-sponsored award 

was granted to Jeff Powell for his project 

‘A trait-based approach for understanding 

the processes limiting effective nodulation of 

pulse crops’. 

The GRDC-sponsored Science and Innovation Award 

for Young People in Agricutlure, Fisheries and Forestry 

is presented at the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and 

Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES) Outlook 

Conference 2012. From left: Kim Ritman, ABARES Chief 

Scientist; Jeff Powell, award recipient; Senator the 

Hon. Joe Ludwig, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and 

Forestry. Photo: ABARES 

Nuffield Australia Farming Scholarships 

The GRDC supports the skill and leadership 

development of people working in the grains 

industry through its sponsorship of Nuffield 

Australia Farming Scholars. 

This scholarship program gives Australian 

primary producers the opportunity to travel 

overseas to study a research topic related to 

farming practices in New Zealand, Europe, Asia 

or the Americas. The scholars are expected to 

actively share the benefits of their experiences 

with their industries and communities. 

In this way, the scholarships provide a 

better understanding of the forces shaping 

international trade policy in key markets, 

the issues behind consumer sentiment, and 

the technological advances being made by 

producers overseas, for individuals and their 

farming sectors. 

The 2011–12 GRDC scholars are: 

• Michael Chilvers, from Nile, Tasmania— 

Michael will research strategies to efficiently 

transition from a traditional family farming 

structure to a diversified agricultural business. 

He anticipates drawing from a range of 

systems from China, France, New Zealand, 

North America, South America and the 

United Kingdom. 

• Ashley Fraser, from Lilliput, Victoria— 

Ashley will study how seed coating both 

protects and enhances crop growth. 

He plans to travel to Canada, Europe and 

the United States to visit research facilities, 

69 


70 



manufacturers of coating equipment and 

materials, powder manufacturers, and 

chemistry experts. 

• Jemma Sadler, from Wongan Hills, 

Western Australia—Jemma will study 

profitable cropping with sustainable weed 

management. She plans to visit Europe, 

North America and South America. 

• Robin Schaefer from Loxton, South 

Australia—Robin will study farm 

business management systems as well as 

medium- to long-term weather forecasting, 

with a particular focus on management tools 

to aid decision making. He plans to visit 

Argentina, Europe and the United States. 

• Ryan Smart from Keith, South Australia— 

Ryan will study ways of managing farm energy 

use to maximise efficiency, including by 

reviewing farm operation systems to work out 

ways to minimise greenhouse gas emissions 

and maximise carbon sequestrations at the 

farm level. He plans to visit Canada, Germany 

and the United States. 

Australian Rural Leadership Program 

The GRDC supports the development of grains 

industry leaders through the Australian Rural 

Leadership Program. The program’s objective 

is to produce a network of informed, capable 

and ethical leaders who are able to work 

collaboratively to advance the interests of their 

industries and communities and rural Australia 

in general. 

The program is delivered in seven sessions over 

17 months, and accepts up to 35 people each 

year. Recognising the benefits of diversity, the 

program selects men and women, including 

Indigenous people, of various ages, from different 

employment backgrounds and from places with 

different climate and geographical conditions. 

The GRDC-sponsored participants on the 

course commencing in 2011–12 were Luke 

Fitzgerald from Vale Park, South Australia, and 

Julia Hausler from Warracknabeal, Victoria. 

Vavilov–Frankel fellowships 

The aim of the Vavilov–Frankel Fellowship Fund 

is to encourage the conservation and use of 

plant genetic resources by enabling outstanding 

young scientists from developing countries 

to carry out relevant, innovative research 

outside their own countries. Applicants must 

demonstrate the importance and benefit of 

their proposed research and indicate how it 

will be applied in the framework of a national 

or regional program in their home country 

or another developing country. In this way, 

the Vavilov–Frankel Fellowship Fund helps 

countries to build the scientific capacity they 

need to address urgent issues relating to the 

management of plant genetic resources and to 

promote the contribution of those plant genetic 

resources to development. 

Proposals that might be supported by the 

GRDC must be carried out at an Australian 

research institute, address one of the research 

topics specified for the funding round, and meet 

at least one of the following criteria: 

• target a species that is a priority for both 

Australia and the home country 

• target an alternative, neglected or 

underutilised species with either 

environmental or economic potential 

for Australia 

• work on wheat, barley, oats, sorghum, 

cereal rye, triticale, maize, canary seed, 

millets/panicum, canola, linseed, safflower, 

soybeans, sunflowers, chickpeas, cowpeas, 

faba beans, field peas, lentils, lupins, 

mungbeans, navy beans, peanuts, pigeon 

peas and/or vetch 

Peter Schwarz, Deputy Chair of the GRDC’s Southern Regional Panel, congratulates the GRDC’s latest Nuffield Scholars. 

From left: Robin Schaefer, Michael Chilvers, Jemma Sadler, Ashley Fraser and Ryan Smart. Photo: Emma Leonard

address the hazard. 

buying new storage. 

the storage. 

being emptied. 

wi l easily s e them. 

injured or ki led? 

improvement. 

working life. 

and sorghum. 

• use biotechnology in support of efficient use 

of plant genetic resources. 

In 2011–12, the GRDC supported Vietnamese 

researcher Bui Thi Thu Huyen, a plant breeder 

specialising in the study of legumes. During her 

fellowship, Bui Huyen focused on identifying the 

causal agents and resistance of mungbeans to 

mungbean yellow mosaic disease. 

Mungbean is a traditional food crop in Vietnam, 

but its cultivation is often threatened by 

mungbean yellow mosaic disease, which is 

transmitted by whitefly and causes yield losses 

of up to 70 percent. Bui Huyen’s research 

focused on identifying prevalent strains of the 

disease in Vietnam, and mapping sources of 

resistance in mungbean populations, in order 

to develop more resilient varieties. Improved 

varieties would offer a more sustainable and 

effective alternative to the current management 

technique of using chemical pesticides. 

Bui Huyen’s research and training was done in 

collaboration with several institutes, including 

the World Vegetable Centre (AVRDC) in Taiwan 

and India, and the Department of Employment, 

Economic Development and Innovation in 

Queensland. 

Case study 

Extension program spreads the word on grain storage 

Grain storage is at the interface between the grower and the end user, and it is essential that 

growers implement best grain storage practice to meet the needs of the market and achieve the 

best return for their harvest. In recent years, this has become increasingly challenging as more grain 

has been stored on farm, insect pests have developed pesticide resistance, and markets have 

shown ‘zero tolerance’ to live insects in export grain shipments. 

To help growers to understand and apply best management practice when storing grain, the GRDC 

conducted a comprehensive Grain Storage Extension Program, reinforced by a communications 

campaign, in 2011–12. 

The extension program delivered practical, hands-on workshops for growers, and a number of 

publications were produced and distributed in both print and electronic format to grain growers 

and industry. 

Within the GRDC’s grower fact sheet series, relevant topics included: 

• on-farm storage of high-moisture grain 

• the importance of vigilant monitoring of grain in storage to 

ensure delivery of high-quality grain to buyers 

• the implementation of safe workplace practices around 

the farm 

• ways to manage bulk grain bags (silo bags) for 

short-term storage 

• requirements for successful storage of pulses 

and oilseeds. 

Other complementary information resources included: 

the Stored Grain Pests Identification Poster; Stored 

Grain Pests Identification: The Back Pocket Guide; and 

the Aerating Stored Grain—Cooling or Drying for Quality 

Control booklet. 

A Ground Cover TV segment was also produced, to 

visually enhance the key messages contained in the fact 

sheets and other grain storage information resources. 

grAIN STOrAgE 

fACT ShEET 

www.storedgrain.com.au 

Stay safe around grain storage 

The fundamental approach to grain storage safety is the same as for a l other 

farming activities. The aim is to have a safe workplace for everyone on the farm, 

including workers, contractors, families, visitors and the owner/managers. 

KEY POINTS 

■ Safety is a three-step process — 

identify hazards, assess risk and 

■ Safe grain storage starts with we l 

thought-out design and planning. 

■ Consider safety features when 

■ Using the co rect storage for 

PHOTO: CHrIS WA rICk PrINCIPLEFOCUS 

commodities such as granular 

fertiliser and high-moisture 

grain reduces the need enter 

■ Ventilate silos before entering 

and never enter a silo while it is 

■ Use fumigants and chemicals 

carefu ly and fo low the safety 

instructions on the label. 

■ Be aware of and comply with 

any worksafe and chemical use 

regulations in your state. 

Stuck on safety: Place warning stickers 

on silos near the ladder, where operators 

Start by identifying any hazards 

associated with the grain storage 

site. This involves talking with 

workers who use the site, taking 

time to thoroughly inspec the site 

and equipment and seeking advice 

and information from industry and 

occupational health and safety (OH&S) 

organisations to help identify risks that 

may not be initia ly apparent. 

Secondly, assess the risk of each 

hazard in terms of its potential severity. 

If an accident occu red due to the 

identified hazard, would it result in 

scratches and bruises or is there 

potential for someone to be seriously 

The third step is to address the hazard, 

starting with the highest-risk hazards 

first. The ultimate aim is to tota ly 

remove the risk, but where that’s not 

possible, find a way to control it. 

This could mean altering the way 

activities are ca ried out or providing 

protective equipment. 

NOVEMBER 2011 

Caution: The content of this publication provides general guidelines and does not constitute o cupational health and safety (OH&s) requirements 

o regulations. Do not act on the basis of the content of this publication alone, without first obtaining specific, independent profe sional advice. 

After contro ling the risk as much as 

possible, it is importan to develop 

a plan of action in the even that an 

accident does occur. For example, if a 

worker is exposed to phosphine gas, 

or another harmful chemical, ensure 

emergency phone numbers are readily 

available to get medical help. 

designing a safe storage 

regardless of the type of grain storage 

used, selecting a suitable site is the 

first consideration when designing 

a safe grain storage system. If the 

storage site is already established, 

assess the site for fo lowing safety 

considerations and potential for 

I future expansion is being considered, 

it may be beneficial to build on a new 

site and decommission the cu rent 

site when it reaches the end of its 

Site safety considerations include: 

■ Su roundings — locate the 

storage site away from overhead 

powerlines, houses where children 

might play, or houses or work areas 

that wi l be a fected by dust and 

noise from grain storage activities. 

■ Access — ensure safe access 

for trucks turning into and out of 

the site from public roads without 

endangering othe road users. 

■ Expansion — ensure the site is 

clear of trees, sheds and permanent 

structures to a low for expansion 

without having to manoeuvre trucks 

and augers in a cramped area. 

■ Drainage — select a relatively level 

site for easy and safe manoeuvring 

of augers and trucks, but ensure 

sufficient drainage is available to 

prevent having to work in wet, 

slippery and boggy conditions. 

Level 1, Tourism House | 40 Blacka l Str et, Barton ACT 26 0 | PO Box 5367, kingston ACT 2604 | t. +61 2 61 6 45 0 | f. +61 2 61 6 45 9 | e. grdc@grdc.com.au | w. www.grdc.com.au 

Stored 

grain pests 

identification 

PhOTO: ChRiS WA RiCK PRiNCiPLEFOCUS 

GRAIN STORAGE 

FACT SHEET 

www.storedgrain.com.au 

Successful storage in grain bags 

Bulk grain bags, also known as Silo Bags, can be a handy harvest 

storage option if used properly. A planned approach with careful 

management is essential. 

KEY POINTS 

■ Grain bags are best suited for 

short-term, high-volume grains to 

assist with harvest logistics. 

■ Site planning and preparation is 

the first and most important step 

for successful storage. 

■ Bulk grain bags are a highe risk 

form of storage compared with 

silos — requiring experience and 

best management practice. 

■ Inspecting grain bags weekly, 

or more frequently, and patching 

holes wi l reduce the chance 

of spoilt grain from moisture 

or pests. 

Bulk grain bags are best used for 

short-term storage (a few months 

maximum) to support harvest logistics. 

Storing grain for longer periods requires: 

■ Prior experience 

■ A carefu ly prepared site 

■ A method of sampling grain for 

■ Regular inspections. 

quality monitoring 

The capacity of grain bags varies with 

bag size, which genera ly ranges from 

40 to 90 metres long, and anywhere 

from 100 to 300 tonnes depending on 

the type of grain and how much the 

bag is stretched during fi ling. 

The material most commonly used for 

grain bags is a three-layer polyethylene 

— two white layers to protect against 

the ultraviolet rays and reflect heat and 

a black inner layer to block light. 

Recipe for su ce s: For best results, 

locate grain bags on a central site. 

Laying them straight with square ends 

and on firm, we l-drained ground makes 

MARCH 2012 

Level 1, Tourism house | 40 Blacka l Str et, Barton ACT 26 0 | PO Box 5367, Kingston ACT 2604 | t. +61 2 61 6 45 0 | f. +61 2 61 6 45 9 | e. grdc@grdc.com.au | w. www.grdc.com.au 

them easier to empty. 

Which grains? 

Due to their short-term storage 

capacity and suitability for supporting 

harvest pressure, growers tend to 

use grain bags primarily for extending 

existing storage during high-yielding 

seasons of typica ly wheat, barley 

Aeration cooling is not yet proven 

with grain bags. Storing canola or 

high-value legumes is not 

recommended. 

Cereal grain quality is best preserved 

when the moisture content is below 

12.5 per cent. Storing grain at higher 

moisture content in bags not only 

compromises grain quality but 

increases the risk of grain swe ling 

and spli ting the bag. 

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Case study 

GRDC PhD student identifies nematode resistance 

mechanism in wheat 

Pratylenchus thornei is one of the two species of root lesion nematode that occur in all 

wheat-growing zones of Australia and cause significant economic losses to grain growers. 

Pratylenchus resistance is a priority trait in Australian wheat breeding. The GRDC supports research 

to identify Pratylenchus resistance genes and develop tools such as molecular markers to assist 

breeders to incorporate resistance into elite breeding lines. 

Katherine Linsell is undertaking PhD research at the South Australian Research and Development 

Institute (SARDI), with support from a GRDC Grains Industry Research Scholarship. Katherine has made 

a significant breakthrough in root lesion nematode research, by identifying the biological and genetic 

mechanisms of resistance to P. thornei, providing the first strong evidence linking form to function. 

Katherine’s studies identified the inhibition of nematode hatching and motility as mechanisms 

associated with resistance to P. thornei, and resulted in the development of corresponding 

nematode assays that are simple and reproducible and can be used by breeders to screen wheat 

lines for P. thornei resistance. Figure 14 illustrates the contrast in the extent of infection in resistant 

and susceptible lines. 

In addition to identifying the basis of 

resistance, the research group at SARDI has 

identified the genomic regions of wheat that 

are associated with P. thornei resistance. 

The group identified regions associated 

with suppression of hatching and motility on 

six wheat chromosomes. Plant defence by 

suppression of hatching was attributable to 

genomic regions on chromosomes 2B, 5B, 

6B and 6D, while the defence mechanism 

related to suppression of motility was 

identified on chromosome 2B only. 

Figure 14: P. thornei nematode infection 

on roots of resistant and 

susceptible wheat lines 

Resistant 

Most of the resistance was contributed by regions on chromosomes 2B and 6D, regions that were 

contributed by a synthetic-derived wheat line with a pedigree involving a cross between durum and 

a wild relative of wheat. Figure 15 illustrates the contrast in the rate of nematode hatching in the 

synthetic-derived and susceptible lines. 

Figure 15: Inhibition of P. thornei hatching in 

resistant and susceptible wheat lines 

Hatched Nematode (%) 

80 

70 

60 

50 

40 

30 

20 

10 

0 

Synthetic-derived wheat 

Susceptible wheat 

No plant control 

Susceptible 

Note: Red ‘threads’ are stained nematodes. Source: Klaus Oldach, SARDI. 

This knowledge will enable wheat 

breeders to move P. thornei-susceptible 

lines towards more resistance in their 

breeding programs. It also provides 

the basis for the identification of the 

genes involved in the suppression of 

hatching and motility of P. thornei and 

the development of efficient selection 

tools to assist breeders to accelerate the 

development of wheat germplasm with 

resistance to P. thornei. 

Note: ‘No plant control’ indicates percentage of nematodes that hatched in 

the absence of a wheat plant. 

Source: Klaus Oldach, SARDI.

Case study 

Webcast opens a new window on mouse control 

On 28 September 2011, the GRDC 

delivered a highly successful live 

webcast (internet broadcast) on 

mouse control. 

The webcast was recorded at a 

meeting of the Crop Science Society 

of South Australia and brought 

together a panel of experts from 

the National Mouse Management 

At the mouse control broadcast, John Both (Crop Science Society of South 

Working Group and the Australian Australia) introduces panel members Andrew Polkinghorne (Grain Producers 

Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Australia), Alan Norden (Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines 

Authority. The panel discussion was Authority), Jon Lamb (Moderator), Simon Humphrys (Invasive Animals 

Cooperative Research Centre ) and Rohan Rainbow (GRDC). Photo: Cox Inall 

streamed live, and a ‘chat window’ 

was provided to enable viewers to ask questions of the panel and participate in the discussion. 

In total, 250 registrations to view the webcast were received, from growers, agronomists, ABC 

journalists and members of parliament located in metropolitan, regional and remote locations. The 

issues raised by growers included what to look for in their crops, and whether emergency permits 

for regional bait mixing would be extended. 

The event received a lot of media coverage, including 156 media articles, effectively raising 

awareness of the GRDC through state, metropolitan and local media channels. 


Table 20: Proportion of growers who value particular sources of GRDC information ‘a 

lot’, as assessed by GRDC grower surveys, 2006 to 2012, by proportion of 

respondents who were aware of the GRDC (percent) 

Source of GRDC information valued ‘a lot’ 2006 2008 2010 2012 

Ground Cover newspaper 54 59 56 65 

National Variety Trials (NVT) a n/a n/a 52 55 

Ground Cover supplement inserts 25 37 40 48 

GRDC Fact Sheets a n/a n/a 37 45 

Crop Updates 37 40 43 39 

Ute Guides 25 30 34 39 

GRDC articles in Rural Weekly newspapers b n/a 49 47 32 

GRDC articles in local or national newspapers a n/a n/a 25 32 

GRDC items on the ABC Country Hour 56 54 54 31 

GRDC Growers Report b n/a 31 37 30 

Paddock Diaries 24 28 35 27 

Ground Cover TV DVD c n/a n/a n/a 14 

GRDC website 5 4 8 12 

GRDC Annual Report 13 21 15 11 

Driving Agronomy CD c n/a n/a n/a 10 

73 

GRDC Annual Report 2011–2012 Output Group 4—Communication & Capacity Building 

These measures were introduced in: a 2010; b 2008; c 2012. 

Except as otherwise noted, the measures used in this table were introduced in 2006. 

Note: The survey was suspended in 2007 as part of the GRDC’s drought response and is now conducted every second year.

74 



Table 21: Communication & Capacity Building overview 

Output Group 4—Communication & Capacity Building 

Objective 

Increase the awareness and capacity to optimise adoption of grains research outputs 

Strategies 

Ensure planned, targeted, measured communication 

Leverage delivery through partnerships 

Develop demand-driven publications and products 

Coordinate a national approach to building industry and research capacity 





Ensure planned, targeted, measured communication 

AOP & PBS: 

Implementation of a revised 

GRDC communications 

strategy 

AOP & PBS: Increased 

awareness of the GRDC 

and its research outcomes 

• Development and implementation of 

an updated GRDC communication 

strategy that identifies the needs of 

stakeholders, key messages and 

processes for evaluation. 

• Facilitation of the delivery of research 

outputs to a wide audience, building 

on existing regional delivery channels. 

• Implementation of national issuesbased 

campaigns to increase 

awareness of priority issues including: 

–– 

GRDC profitability and productivity 

objectives 

–– 

wheat breeding 

–– 

climate change. 

• Development and implementation of 

regional issues-based communication 

campaigns to increase awareness of 

priority issues. 

• Increase in unaided awareness 

of the GRDC, through targeted 

communication activities (from 54% 

in 2010 to 75% in 2011). 

• Increased understanding of the 

GRDC and its role, as measured 

through independent research 

surveys. 

Implementation of a new corporate brand, 

through: 

• a revised logo 

• a tagline, ‘Your GRDC working with you’ 

• corporate stationery 

• publications 

• presentations 

• a corporate brochure. 

Commencement of a research partner 

engagement strategy. 

Successful delivery of three national and seven 

regional issues communication campaigns 

communicating key research outcomes to 

targeted grower segments. 

A highly effective communication program, 

including three Ground Cover TV DVDs, over 50 

Driving Agronomy radio segments, and 36 Over 

the Fence packages. 

Successful conclusion of: 

• the ‘The Way We Were’ campaign, with three 

grain growers undertaking an international study 

tour 

• the wheat breeding campaign, with 

presentations to GRDC Grower and Adviser 

Updates and other key regional grower 

meetings; editorial features; media releases; fact 

sheets; and a webcast. 

Successful conclusion of regional issues-based 

communication campaigns for: 

• root lesion nematodes 

• crown rot 

• non-wetting soils 

• frost. 

Significant increase in unaided awareness of the 

GRDC, to 74% in 2012 from 67% in 2010. 

Significant increase in the proportion of growers 

surveyed who claimed to know a fair to 

considerable amount about what the GRDC does, 

to 62% in 2012 from 54% in 2010.

Table 21: Communication & Capacity Building overview (continued) 



Increased awareness of 

the GRDC and its research 

outcomes (continued) 

AOP & PBS: Delivery of a 

strategic media program 

focused on grower 

activity on-farm to ensure 

information is delivered 

when it can be of most 

benefit 

• Publications, products and services 

that increase awareness of the 

GRDC’s research outcomes in the 

Australian grains industry and wider 

community and reflect the needs of 

different target audiences. 

• Production of: 

–– 

three episodes of Ground 

Cover TV 

–– 

36 Over the Fence media 

packages 

–– 

at least 42 Driving Agronomy 

segments for commercial radio. 

• Implementation of communication 

activities and a media program to 

increase awareness of new panel 

members. 

• Management of a national 

media program to deliver highquality, 

timely media products to 

inform stakeholders of research, 

development and extension (RD&E) 

outcomes and activities. 

• Increase (over established 

benchmarks) in national media 

coverage of research activities 

and outputs for the GRDC and its 

research partners. 


benchmarks) in favourable GRDC 

mentions in the media. 

Increase in the proportion of Grower Survey 

respondents who valued ‘a lot’: 

• Ground Cover—65% in 2012 (an increase of 

9 percentage points since 2010) 

• Ground Cover supplements—48% (an increase 

of 8 points) 

• fact sheets—45% (an increase of 8 points). 

Production of: 

• three episodes of Ground Cover TV, containing 

26 segments and three supplements, that 

were sent to over 42,000 recipients and played 

at GRDC displays at field days, updates and 

conferences around Australia 

• 36 Over the Fence packages that were 100% 

taken up by the Rural Press website Farmonline 

• 50 Driving Agronomy segments that were 

broadcast on commercial radio stations 

throughout Australia. 

Implementation of a national campaign to increase 

panel member profiles: media releases were 

distributed nationally and regionally, and videos 

profiling all panel members were made available on 

the GRDC website and YouTube channel. 

National and regional distribution of over 500 

targeted and timely media products, such as 

media releases, ‘grains flash’ media alerts, 

newspaper columns, magazine articles and 

comprehensive media packages including text, 

video and photographs. 

A rise in the volume of media coverage that 

mentioned or discussed the GRDC, to 3,546 

press articles and broadcast reports, an increase 

of 9.0% from 3,252 in 2010–11 and 36.8% from 

2,592 in 2009–10. 

A rise in the volume of favourable press coverage, 

to 2,351 articles, an increase of 3.0% from 2,283 

in 2010–11 and 15.1% from 2,042 in 2009–10. 

A very high favourability rating of all press 

coverage of the GRDC, at 60.7, the same as in 

2010–11 and 12% higher than 60.2 in 2009–10. 

A rise in the volume of reports that were identified 

as containing some GRDC media release content 

to 2,278, an increase of 4.5% from 2,179 in 

2010–11 and 53.4% from 1,485 in 2009–10. 

A total of 13 press articles that were unfavourable 

for the GRDC, representing 0.5% of total press 

coverage—most of this reporting occurred during 

the months of July 2011 and February 2012, 

and included criticism of GRDC-funded GM 

lupin research and the GRDC’s funding for GM 

research. 

For proactive content in each region: 

• a drop in the Northern Region to 488 reports, 

a decline of 7.4% from 527 in 2010–11 

• a rise in the Southern Region to 1,328 reports, 

an increase of 12.9% from 1,176 in 2010–11 

• a drop in the Western Region to 462 reports, 

a decrease of 2.9% from 476 in 2010–11. 

75 


76 






AOP: Increased awareness 

and understanding of the 

role and function of the 

GRDC’s regional panels 

AOP: Regular monitoring 

of current and emerging 

issues 

Leverage delivery through partnerships 

AOP: Recognition of strong 

cooperative research 

partnerships 


collaboration in R&D 

communication and 

extension activities between 

the GRDC and research 

partners 

• Implementation of campaigns 

focused on the regional panel profile 

and activities in each region. 

• Increase in the proportion of growers 

who are aware of the GRDC’s 

regional panels (to 70% by 2011–12). 

• Monitoring of grains industry and 

corporate issues, and development 

of targeted communication tools to 

assist in the exchange of information 

and delivery of consistent messages. 

• Increased favourable mentions of 

the GRDC’s research activities and 

outputs and those of its research 

partners. 


benchmarks) in positive GRDC 

coverage in the print and electronic 

media. 

• Establishment of a national grains 

communication network. 

• Delivery of a pilot national GRDC 

research partner communication 

workshop and forum to build 

relationships and leverage existing 

activities. 

• Identification of opportunities for 

the GRDC to work collaboratively 

with other rural R&D corporations 

(RDCs), research partners, industry 

partners and governments to 

deliver information in ways that 

reduce duplication, better target 

stakeholders and are more cost 

effective. 

Successful conclusion of a panel profile 

communication campaign, with: 

• panel member profiles made available on the 

GRDC website 

• video interviews included on YouTube 

• media and presentation skills training delivered 

in the regions 

• media releases announcing panel member 

appointments distributed nationally. 

Significant increase in the proportion of growers 

who are aware of the GRDC’s regional panels, to 

68% in 2012 from 60% in 2010. 

Implementation of an effective issues management 

strategy. 

Development of talking points and question-andanswer 

packages for a range of issues, including 

genetic modification, mouse control, commercial 

investments, and GRDC initiatives such as Board 

and panel appointments. 

Development of 100% of GRDC RD&E media 

products in partnership with, and subject 

to approval by, research partners, and 

acknowledgement of the partner organisation in 

all cases. 

Continued positive media environment, reflected in 

the 60.7% average favourability rating of coverage 

in 2011–12. 

Successful media strategy in which media release 

activity, in partnership with research organisation, 

drove favourable reporting and uptake of key 

messages. 

This activity was not funded for delivery in 

2011–12. 

Effective leveraging of research partnerships 

through a successful media program—relationship 

management activities were the most commonly 

mentioned topic in media coverage of the GRDC, 

and were discussed in 1,221 reports (34.4% of 

total coverage). 

The pilot workshop was not delivered in 2011–12, 

but may be considered as part of the broader 

research partner engagement strategy in 2012–13. 

Engagement with: 

• research partners, through a theme consultation 

booklet that was emailed to research partners 

and distributed at information sessions to 

encourage feedback on GRDC investment 

priorities and themes. 

• researchers, government agencies, industry 

and growers, during consultations on the 

development of the Strategic R&D Plan 

2012–17.





collaboration in R&D 

communication and 

extension activities between 

the GRDC and research 

partners (continued) 

• Publication of materials in 

collaboration with RDCs, research 

partners, industry partners and 

government to meet grower and 

industry needs. 

• Joint communication efforts with 

other RDCs. 

Develop demand-driven publications and products 

AOP & PBS: Enhanced 

information tools to account 

for industry issues and 

emerging technologies to 

enhance adoption by the 

grains industry and the 

wider community 

• Production of electronic media 

publications, including audio, video 

and other electronically based 

content. 

• Distribution of national Over the 

Fence case studies, including media 

articles and video content, to rural 

press and online publishers. 

• Development of the Ground Cover 

TV program, and delivery to growers, 

including through Web 2.0 platforms. 

• Delivery of pre-recorded content of 

the national radio program Driving 

Agronomy to radio stations. 

Coordinate a national approach to building industry and research capacity 

AOP & PBS: 

A nationally coordinated 

agricultural research 

capacity-building strategy 

AOP & PBS: Support of a 

range of activities designed 

to build skills and expertise 

that will equip the Australian 

grains industry with the 

capacity to continuously 

innovate 

• Evidence that key stakeholders 

understand the GRDC’s capacitybuilding 

strategy. 

• Continued support of activities that 

provide growers and others in the 

grains industry with opportunities to 

develop leadership skills, including 

investment in industry-based awards 

such as the Nuffield Foundation 

and the Australian Rural Leadership 

Foundation scholarships. 

• Continued support for training 

awards, conferences and workshops 

to maximise targeted awareness of 

GRDC investment outcomes. 

Publication of Irrigated Wheat—Best Practice 

Guidelines in Cotton Farming Systems as a joint 

collaboration between the Cotton CRC and the 

GRDC. 

Distribution of bulk quantities of fact sheets in the 

GRDC’s spray application/spray drift series to the 

RDCs for the cotton, sugar and grape and wine 

industries. 

Efforts including: 

• hosting and regularly attending joint meetings of 

RDC communication managers 

• participating in joint RDC activities. 

Regular distribution of notifications to 

stakeholders, via emails through the customer 

relationship management system, of diary dates, 

surveys and newsletters. 

Release of the Southern Region edition of Weeds: 

the Ute Guide via phone app. 

Delivery of 36 Over the Fence packages that 

were 100% taken up by the Rural Press website 

Farmonline. 

Production of three episodes of Ground Cover TV 

and three supplements, that were: 

• sent to over 42,000 recipients on DVDs 

• played at GRDC displays at field days, updates 

and conferences around Australia. 

• made available on YouTube and included in the 

electronic version of Ground Cover. 

Production of 50 Driving Agronomy segments 

that were broadcast on commercial radio stations 

around Australia. 

Efforts to communicate the strategy to 

stakeholders, including: 

• promotion of all training, travel and industry 

support awards to growers via the GRDC 

customer relationship management system 

• promotion of the strategy at all GRDCsupported 

events for capacity building 

Feedback received following discussions of the 

strategy during stakeholder consultations about 

the GRDC’s investment themes. 

Support for: 

• 13 Travel Awards 

• 14 Industry Development Awards 

• 40 new training scholarships, including 

11 Grains Industry Research Scholarships and 

17 Undergraduate Honours Scholarships 

• 40 conferences 

• five Nuffield Australia Farming Scholarships 

• two Australian Rural Leadership Program 

participants. 

77 

GRDC Annual Report 2011–2012 Output Group 4—Communication & Capacity Building 

AOP = annual operational plan; PBS = portfolio budget statements

78 



• A boost in regional communication capacity, through: 

–– 

delivery of a wider range of media products through a greater range of media outlets 

–– 

use of multimedia to cater for different delivery needs and learning preferences 

–– 

expanded availability of detailed technical information to equip growers with the tools, 

knowledge and confidence they need to implement beneficial practice changes. 

• Enhancements to the GRDC website to improve access to relevant content, regional 

tailoring of searches and the way information is displayed. 

• A social media strategy to facilitate conversations and information exchange between the 

GRDC and its stakeholders. 

• New mobile phone apps to provide up-to-the-minute information and decision-making 

support in the field and on the road. 

• Support for activities that provide growers and others in the grains industry with 

opportunities to develop leadership skills, including investments in industry-based awards. 

• Support for travel awards, conferences and workshops to maximise targeted awareness 

of the research outcomes of GRDC-supported projects. 

• Regionally focused priority practice change campaigns. 

• An expanded range of farm business management training options. 

• Enhanced capacity to target information to address particular needs and interests. 

• Availability of Ground Cover newspaper and supplements as fully searchable content on 

the GRDC’s website. 


GRDC Corporate Services. From Left (back row) Ross Thompson, Cathy Stewart, Bob Watson, Carmen Jiang, Brendan Lawler, 

Johan Pienaar, Nino Divito, Mary Dalton, Sara Gordon, Klaudia Skazlic, Michelle Priest; (front row) Vincent Fernandez, Jeff Derix, 

James Macintyre, Zoltan Lukacs. Photo: Geoff Comfort

Enabling functions 

The GRDC’s enabling business group, 

Corporate Services, is responsible for key 

operational activities in relation to: 

• corporate governance and legal services 

• corporate strategy 

• preparation of statutory documents and 

submissions to government reviews and 

inquiries 

• human resource management 

• finance and administration 

• quality management 

• risk management 

• information management systems 

• impact assessment. 

These activities provide essential support for the 

corporation’s responsibilities under the PIERD 

Act and the CAC Act, and equip the operational 

business groups to perform their functions. 

Portfolio management 

The GRDC’s RD&E investment portfolio in 

2011–12 included more than 1,000 projects, 

at various stages of development. The 

management of the investment portfolio aims 

to achieve a balanced spread of projects in 

terms of: 

• GRDC investment themes 

• the National Research Priorities and Rural 

R&D Priorities 

• crop type 

• project type (strategic basic, applied, 

experimental development, extension, 

commercialisation or capacity building) 

• delivery time to growers of R&D outcomes 

(long-term projects versus short-term 

projects) 

• probability of overall success (high-risk long 

shots versus lower risk sure bets) 

• level of expected on-farm benefits relative to 

investment required 

• induced spillover benefits to industry 

• expected benefits to be achieved for the 

broader community. 

The GRDC’s portfolio is grouped under 30 

clusters. This enables groupings of projects 

around a common theme (for example, summer 

crops, crop protection, supply chain and 

markets) to be assessed generally, rather than 

have all individual projects examined separately. 

Each year, the GRDC assesses the clusters 

in terms of their expected relative benefit 

flow on-farm, to industry and to the broader 

community. Some clusters are also assessed 

for their economic, social and environmental 

impact, as described in Table 10 of this report. 

Different approaches are used to monitor, 

evaluate and manage projects, depending on 

project characteristics. For example, evaluation 

and management approaches for projects 

with standard GRDC research agreements are 

different from the approaches used to manage 

the GRDC’s involvement in incorporated and 

unincorporated joint ventures. 

The GRDC undertakes a range of activities 

to ensure that individual projects achieve 

their objectives and scheduled milestones, 

and that the R&D portfolio as a whole 

continues to address industry and government 

stakeholder priorities. 

The portfolio monitoring system includes internal 

guidelines and/or procedures for: 

• identifying and managing risks associated 

with individual projects during planning and 

implementation stages 

• evaluating progress reports for project 

performance against objectives and 

milestones—each year, a satisfactory 

progress report must be submitted to the 

GRDC before further payments will be made 

to the research provider 

• developing business cases, terms of 

reference and timeframes for a limited 

number of formal reviews of targeted 

investment areas—five formal reviews were 

conducted in 2011–12, in the areas of 

herbicide tolerance; dual-purpose crops; 

lupin breeding; national molecular marker 

programs for wheat, barley, canola and 

pulses; and the CIMMYT–Australia–ICARDA 

Germplasm Evaluation program. 

79 

GRDC Annual Report 2011–2012 Enabling functions

80 


Business process review 

In 2011–12 the GRDC enhanced aspects of 

its business processes as part of an ongoing 

process of review and improvement. The 

areas of focus in 2011–12 were the GRDC 

investment cycle and continuing to improve 

capacity-building processes. 

The high-level business process for 

determining how the GRDC reviews investment 

opportunities was a significant area of focus 

in 2011–12. The process was revised to allow 

program logic on investment strategies under 

a series of six themes to drive the GRDC’s 

investment decisions. The process changes 

encourage greater interaction across the 

lines of business in the GRDC, increasing the 

level of direct discussion between regional 

panel members and GRDC managers about 

proposed investments. In addition, the amount 

of time available to managers to contract an 

investment has been increased to facilitate 

earlier contracting and to even out the task of 

contracting over time. 

The capacity-building processes were improved 

through the creation of electronic forms and 

workflows in the GRDC’s project management 

system, Clarity, to support procuring and 

managing capacity-building investments. 

Information technology 

The GRDC’s information technology 

environment maintains the integrity and 

functionality of the GRDC’s records and project 

management software. 

In 2011–12, upgrades to the environment 

focused on improving the end user experience 

and introducing mobility-focused tools and 

equipment (such as mobile digital devices). 

Infrastructure changes were also introduced 

during the year to better utilise existing 

hardware and to provide capacity to cope with 

increased demand on records and project 

management systems. 


The GRDC’s 2010 –11 annual report receives the winners 

award in the Online Reporting Award (Public Sector) category 

at the 2012 Australasian Reporting Awards. Zoltan Lukacs, 

Strategic Planning and Reporting (left), accepts the award 

from Carlton Boyse, Group Director New Business and 

Marketing, Pacific+ Corporate Publishing. Photo: Brightlights 

Photography

Commercialisation 

The GRDC’s primary aim is to make new 

technology available to grain growers as 

quickly and as cost-effectively as possible. In 

some cases, the benefits of GRDC research 

investments can be most efficiently delivered 

to growers through the commercial production 

of the research outputs. Commercialisation is 

a means of delivering technology to Australian 

grain growers so that they can effectively 

compete in global grain markets, and securing 

technology adoption. 


strategy 

In 2011–12, the GRDC achieved its objective in 

commercialising research outputs through: 

• ensuring commercialisation activities 

were aligned with the GRDC’s four core 

strategies and relevant to the strategies of 

the four output groups (Practices, Varieties, 

New Products and Communication & 

Capacity Building) 

• leveraging capital and expertise from 

co-investors, to maximise opportunities 

to bring technology to the marketplace and 

give grain growers access to technology 

• developing comprehensive business plans 

for delivering satisfactory returns to grain 

growers and investors. 

As part of the overall commercialisation strategy, 

the GRDC recognises that the following are 

necessary for commercialisation: a sustainable 

market size, expertise, funds and distribution 

channels. Usually the GRDC is only one of 

a number of organisations investing in the 

development of new technologies by public 

and/or private organisations. Investment 

partnerships are desirable and necessary 

because they reduce the risk to the GRDC in 

the funding of new technologies, and because 

partner organisations can bring benefits, apart 

from financial resources and research capacity, 

such as market knowledge and access to 

complementary technologies. 

Where the GRDC is a member of a research 

consortium using public and private sector 

funds, it has influence over the terms of 

commercialisation, and determines these in 

collaboration with the other investors to ensure 

that a proper balance is struck among the 

needs of all members of the consortium. 

While the most usual path to market for 

commercial research products from GRDC 

research investment will be through licensing to 

suitable partners, investments in joint ventures 

and companies to deliver the products will be 

considered based on the merits of business 

cases that demonstrate that this will deliver the 

best outcome for the industry. 

In selecting investment structures, the GRDC 

follows its internal guidelines and identifies and 

implements the most appropriate structure for 

holding its equity in each business arrangement. 

The GRDC position is that all commercial 

entities with which it is involved should have 

appropriate boards that possess the broad 

range of skills required to provide oversight for 

the business. 

The GRDC continues to seek new business 

opportunities that arise from its research 

portfolio, with the aim of providing benefit firstly 

to growers and secondly to the GRDC and 

its research partners. For each commercial 

business opportunity, the GRDC seeks 

investment of resources from the partners that 

will profit from the development and widespread 

uptake of the new technology. This is an 

important part of using GRDC investment 

funds to leverage funds from other sources— 

including, in this area, commercial investment 

funds—for the benefit of growers. 


outcomes 

Every commercialisation task is unique, 

and the process of bringing products and 

technology to market must be undertaken on 

a project-by-project basis. A cross-section of 

commercialisation work undertaken in 2011–12 

is described below. 

New crop varieties 

In 2011–12, the GRDC was actively involved 

in the release and commercialisation of several 

new crop varieties that were released by public 

breeding programs with financial support from 

the GRDC. The GRDC’s primary objective 

was to encourage rapid adoption of the new, 

81 

GRDC Annual Report 2011–2012 Commercialisation

82 



superior varieties by growers, while protecting 

the interests of the intellectual property owners. 

In selecting commercial partners, the GRDC 

and its research partners take into consideration 

capabilities such as the ability to produce quality 

seed, the ability to market seed successfully, 

and the targets for seed production and variety 

uptake. The management and collection of 

end point royalties, including the terms and 

conditions imposed on growers, are also taken 

into consideration. 

In the case of commercially bred crops 

such as wheat the GRDC has no ownership 

in new varieties and the responsibility for 

commercialisation lies with the breeding 

companies alone. However, the GRDC is an 

investor in some of the breeding companies 

and reports on the variety releases from all of 

its breeding-related investments, regardless of 

whether they are publicly funded or commercial 

enterprises. 

In 2011–12, the new crop varieties 

commercialised (that is, new varieties for which 

there is a significant amount of seed available 

commercially to growers) comprised: 

• five barley varieties—Bass , Fathom , 

Navigator , Skipper and Wimmera 

• three canola varieties—CB Frontier RR , 

CB Henty HT and CB Tango C 

• one chickpea variety—PBA Boundary 

• one faba bean variety—PBA Rana 

• two field pea varieties—PBA Oura 

and PBA Percy 

• one lentil variety—PBA Herald XT 

• one lupin variety—PBA Gunyidi 

• three oat varieties—Bannister , 

Dunnart and Wombat 

• seven wheat varieties—Corack , Elmore 

CL Plus , Emu Rock , Impose CL Plus , 

Sunguard , Tjilkuri and Wallup . 

New products 

As described in more detail in the report 

on performance for Output Group 3—New 

Products, in 2011–12 the GRDC progressed 

the development and commercialisation of new 

products related to: 

• the use of an identified gene to increase 

yield in wheat, and its possible application to 

other crops—this work is being done through 

CSIRO Plant Industry, with GRDC support, 

and Bayer CropScience has been engaged 

to exploit the technology in wheat (subject to 

proof-of-concept testing) 

• high-amylose wheat lines to meet market 

demand for certain health benefits—this 

work is being done through Arista Cereal 

Technologies Pty Ltd, a joint venture between 

the GRDC, CSIRO and French company 

Limagrain Céréals Ingrédients 

• safflower seeds with high concentrations of 

oleic acid, for use in industrial applications— 

this work is being done through the Crop 

Biofactories Initiative (a joint investment of the 

GRDC and CSIRO). The GRDC is working 

with the New South Wales Department of 

Primary Industries to identify better varieties 

that can be grown in the Northern Region. 

Commercial agreements 

In May 2012 the GRDC formed a commercial 

agreement with South Australian firm deBruin 

Engineering Pty Ltd to take the Harrington Weed 

Seed Destructor technology to market. DeBruin 

is widely recognised for its high standard of 

craftsmanship; in addition to skilled staff, it has 

state-of-the art design and building facilities that 

meet ISO 9001 quality standards. DeBruin plans 

to build and sell at least two machines in the 

first year, ramping up production in successive 

years to more than 10 per year, subject to 

demand. In response to strong interest from 

growers, the group’s representatives have been 

travelling extensively to engage with potential 

customers in New South Wales, South Australia 

and Western Australia. 

A test for barley variety identification based on 

the outcomes of GRDC-supported research on 

diversity arrays technology forms the basis for 

a new service to be offered by GrainGrowers 

Limited’s analytical laboratories. Correct varietal 

identification and purity levels are a crucial part 

of the quality specifications required for growers 

to achieve malting grade for their barley. The 

new service will allow growers to send a small 

sample of seed to the lab for testing, prior to 

sowing, to ensure that the end product will meet 

the required specifications. Seed companies 

and merchants will also be able to offer an 

identification and purity certificate to customers, 

as a guarantee of quality. A cost-effective, 

reliable methodology for barley quality testing is 

a world first and has the potential to ensure that 

Australia’s barley industry maintains its position 

as preferred supplier to many of the best 

maltsters and brewers.

In the past, the ability to accurately estimate the 

amount of plant-available phosphorus in the soil 

was lacking for many growers across Australia, 

because existing soil tests offered limited 

accuracy in soils with high calcium or aluminium 

levels. The DGT soil test was developed to 

overcome this problem by simulating the way in 

which the plant root takes phosphorus from the 

soil. In May 2012, the DGT testing technology 

was licensed to Back Paddock Company, 

based in Queensland. The test has since been 

made available through a number of commercial 

soil-testing laboratories and is being promoted 

strongly to growers with calcareous soils as a 

means of accurately informing their decisions on 

fertiliser use. 

The ACPFG and CSIRO entered into a licence 

agreement with Vilmorin and Cie, the largest 

seed company in Europe, to commercialise 

their joint nitrogen use efficiency technology. 

The licence agreement secures a pathway for 

the further development and deregulation of 

the nitrogen use efficiency technology, and its 

delivery to the Australian grains industry. 

Business relationships 

Most of the GRDC’s business relationships 

are governed by contracts, such as research 

agreements and the licensing of the resulting 

intellectual property. However, in several cases 

the most effective way to encourage innovation 

in the grains industry is to establish a company 

or unincorporated joint venture. Key reasons 

for deciding to set up a company or joint 

venture include more effective management of 

intellectual property; more focused governance; 

ease of interaction with the private sector; and, 

in the case of cooperative research centres, 

government policy. 

Table 22 describes the companies in which the 

GRDC had shares or membership at 30 June 

2012. In most cases the GRDC also nominated 

one or more directors to the company’s board. 

Intellectual property 

management 

The GRDC usually owns a share of all intellectual 

property generated by research projects it funds. 

This consists of registrable intellectual property 

(plant breeder’s rights, patents and trademarks) 

and non-registrable intellectual property 

(copyright and trade secrets). 

The corporation actively manages its intellectual 

property, to: 

• ensure that research outcomes are adopted 

as quickly and effectively as possible, by 

either dissemination or commercialisation 

• provide access to GRDC intellectual property 

and gain access to third-party intellectual 

property where it will facilitate the delivery of 

research outcomes. 

The GRDC (together with research partners) 

registers intellectual property where to do so 

will achieve the above objectives, and maintains 

a register of its registered intellectual property. 

Patents 

During 2011–12, the GRDC continued to file 

and prosecute a number of patent applications 

and to maintain a number of patents. All except 

one patent family of applications is held in 

conjunction with research partners. 

The GRDC holds interests in 33 patent families; 

this includes six new patent families, four 

abandoned patent families, and two assigned 

patent families. 

Plant breeder’s rights 

In 2011–12, the GRDC and its research 

partners: 

• lodged nine new plant breeder’s rights (PBR) 

applications 

• withdrew no new PBR applications 

• surrendered six certificates of PBR. 

At 30 June 2012, the GRDC co-owned 148 

plant varieties covered by PBR and 26 PBR 

applications. 

Trademarks 

At 30 June 2012, the GRDC held: 

• six registered trademarks 

• three trademark families, granted in a 

combination of classes 

• two word marks, granted in classes 16 

and 42 

• one composite mark, granted in classes 16 

and 42. 

83 

GRDC Annual Report 2011–2012 Commercialisation

84 



Table 22: Companies in which the GRDC had shares or membership as at 30 June 2012 

Name Activity GRDC role 

Companies limited by guarantee 

Agricultural Biotechnology 

Council of Australia 

Ltd (formerly Agrifood 

Awareness Ltd) 

Australian Crop 

Accreditation System 

Limited 

Australian Seed Federation 

Limited 

Barley Australia Ltd 

Grains & Legumes Nutrition 

Council Ltd (formerly Go 

Grains Health & Nutrition 

Limited) 

Pulse Australia Ltd 

Value Added Wheat 

CRC Ltd 

Wheat Quality Australia 

Limited 

Companies limited by shares 

Arista Cereal Technologies 

Pty Ltd 

Australian Centre for Plant 

Functional Genomics Pty 

Ltd 

Australian Grain 

Technologies Pty Ltd 

Canola Breeders Western 

Australia Pty Ltd 

HRZ Wheats Pty Ltd 

Provides information about gene technology 

to enable informed debate. 

Provides cereal variety details online for 

farmers and advisers, manages the National 

Variety Trials. 

Promotes interests of seed industry 

members. 

Provides leadership for the development of 

the barley industry in Australia. 

Identifies and communicates the health 

benefits of grain food products. 

Provides leadership for the development of 

the pulse industry in Australia. 

Serves as the management company for the 

Value Added Wheat CRC. 

Manages and delivers the wheat variety 

classification process. 

Undertakes development of 

high-amylose wheat. 

Conducts functional genomics research into 

abiotic stress. 

Undertakes commercial wheat breeding. 

Develops high-performing commercial 

canola varieties focused on Western 

Australian low-rainfall areas with some 

adaptation to other regions of Australia. 

Develops high-yielding milling wheat 

varieties for Australia’s high-rainfall zone. 

Is a member of the company and provides 

research funding. 

Nominates a director. 


a research contract. 


Is a member of the company. 




research funding. 








Is a 21 percent shareholder. 

Nominates one director. 


Nominates two directors. 

Is a 39 percent shareholder and provides 

research contracts. 

Nominates three of the seven directors. 





InterGrain Pty Ltd Undertakes commercial wheat breeding. Is a 27 percent shareholder. 


Novozymes Biologicals 

Australia Pty Ltd (formerly 

Philom Bios (Australia) 

Pty Ltd) 

Develops and markets inoculant products to 

benefit growers. 

Is a 50 percent shareholder and provides 

research contracts. 

Nominates two of the four directors. 

Opposite page: photo, GRDC

Part 3—Our Organisation 

Board 86 

Advisory panels 91 

Senior Leadership Group 92 

Business groups 93 

Accountability 94 

Corporate governance 98 

People management 100

Board 

86 

The GRDC Board is responsible for the 

stewardship of the corporation, and oversees 

corporate governance within the GRDC. 

Its other functions include setting strategic 

direction and monitoring the ongoing 

performance of the business and of the 

Managing Director. 

Board members 

As illustrated in Figure 16, the Board has 

combined expertise in business management; 

corporate governance; commodity production, 

processing and marketing; finance; risk 

management; management and conservation 

of natural resources and the environment; 

R&D administration; science, technology 

and technology transfer; intellectual property 

management; and public administration. 



Figure 16: Members of the GRDC Board in 2011–12 

Directors as at 30 June 2012 

Keith Perrett 

Chair (Non-executive) 

Appointed: 

1 October 2007, 

reappointed until 

30 September 2013 

Chair: 

Remuneration Committee 

John Harvey 

BRurSc, GDRE, GCBS, 

MAICD 


Appointed: 

1 March 2011 

Keith farms his 2,100 hectare Gunnedah property in northern New South 

Wales. He produces wheat, barley, cotton, sunflower, sorghum, sheep 

and cattle. 

He is a former Chairman of the National Rural Advisory Council, which 

advises the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry on rural issues, 

including Exceptional Circumstances declarations. 

Keith was President of the Grains Council of Australia between April 2001 

and April 2005. He is a past Chairman of the New South Wales Farmers’ 

Association Grains Section, and has represented the grains industry at 

state and federal levels. 

Keith was the Chairman of the Wheat Research Foundation of New 

South Wales between 2000 and 2007. He was also a member of the 

Governing Council of the Plant Breeding Institute of the University of 

Sydney between 1997 and 2003 and Chairman from 2000 to 2007. 

John is a graduate member of the Australian Institute of Company 

Directors. He is a director of Australian Crop Accreditation System 

Limited and was a director of the Value Added Wheat Cooperative 

Research Centre. 

Before becoming Managing Director of the GRDC, John was on the 

management boards of Pulse Breeding Australia, Barley Breeding 

Australia and the National Soybean Breeding Program. 

John joined the GRDC in November 1997 as Program Manager Farming 

Systems. He became Manager R&D Programs in 2001, Executive 

Manager Varieties in 2005 and Managing Director in March 2011. 

His background is in agricultural extension and research, development 

and extension (RD&E) management. He previously worked with the 

Queensland Department of Primary Industries. 

Richard 

Brimblecombe 

MBA, MAICD 

Director (Non-executive) 

Appointed: 

4 November 2011, 

until 30 September 2014 

Richard has held senior executive positions across a range of industries 

spanning financial services, commodity processing and marketing, rural 

services and renewable energy, with prominent companies including 

Suncorp Bank, Namoi Cotton Co-operative Ltd, Landmark, CBA and 

Quantum Power Limited. His executive positions in the financial services 

industry have developed his finance skills, while his engagement with the 

agricultural production, processing and marketing sectors has enhanced 

his understanding of the economics of the grains industry. 

As the former non-executive chairman and now Chief Executive Officer 

and Managing Director of Quantum Power Limited, a company in the 

renewable energy sector, Richard has significant experience in the 

development, evaluation and execution of R&D strategy.

Directors as at 30 June 2012 (continued) 

Jeremy Burdon 

BSc (Hons), PhD, Hon 

DSc, FAA, FTSE, MAICD 


Appointed: 

4 November 2011, until 


Jeremy has an international reputation in evolutionary biology, particularly 

the application of molecular technologies to crop production. 

Since late 2003, Jeremy has led CSIRO Plant Industry, taking 

responsibility for the development of its scientific capability; the strategic 

direction of its work; and its financial health and staff training. The division 

has a strong reputation for the execution of high-quality research and the 

delivery of research outcomes to industries, including the grains industry. 

Jenny Goddard 

BComm (Hons) 


Appointed: 

11 November 2008, 



Chair: 

Finance, Risk and 

Audit Committee 

Kim Halbert 

BComm 

Deputy Chair 

(Non-executive) 

Appointed: 



Appointed as Deputy 

Chair: 10 April 2012, until 


Member: 


Robert Lewis 

BSc (Hons), Hon DSc, 

PSM, FTSE 


Appointed: 



Member: 


Sharon Starick 

BAgSc (Hons) 


Appointed: 



Member: 

Finance, Risk and Audit 

Committee 

Jenny works as a director and an economic and public policy consultant. 

She has 24 years of experience as an economic policy adviser to the 

Australian Government, initially in the Department of the Treasury and 

later in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, where she 

worked until May 2008. 

Her 11 years as a senior executive officer in the Department of the Prime 

Minister and Cabinet include four years as a deputy secretary with policy 

responsibility for the economic, industry, infrastructure and environment, 

and Cabinet divisions; and the Council of Australian Governments 

Secretariat. 

Jenny is the inaugural Chair of the Australian Solar Institute Board. She is 

also a Commissioner with the Australian Fisheries Management Authority. 

Jenny has extensive experience in and understanding of government 

policies, processes and administration, including detailed knowledge of 

Australian Government Cabinet and Budget processes. 

Since 1980, Kim has been a grain producer in the mid-west region of 

Western Australia, where he undertakes numerous production trials 

and engages in innovative farming practices. He has experience in 

the management and conservation of natural resources, which he 

demonstrated in his role as a member of the management committee 

overseeing Natural Heritage Trust project funding for the Arrowsmith 

Catchment Group. 

Kim has a strong interest in the marketing of grain, which is reflected 

in his participation on a number of boards, including Wheat Exports 

Australia. As a director of the Geraldton Port Authority, the second largest 

grain-exporting port in Australia, he consulted with grain marketers, bulk 

handlers and grower organisations. 

Rob was Chief Executive Officer/Executive Director of the South 

Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI) for 18 years, 

a position from which he retired in June 2010. 

Rob’s leadership of SARDI, the principal institution for public sector 

research in life sciences for the South Australian Government, 

demonstrates his depth of experience in research, research 

management, public and private sector policy and governance, 

intellectual property management, and commercialisation. 

Since 1993, Sharon has been producing grain and pigs in the Mallee 

region of South Australia. Her extensive knowledge of sustainable primary 

production was developed through her own on-farm practices and 

participation in Mallee Sustainable Farming Inc. and the South Australian 

No-Till Farmers Association. 

Sharon’s strong interest in natural resource management and 

conservation is reflected in her membership of South Australia’s Natural 

Resources Management Council, the Australian Landcare Council, the 

South Australian Murray–Darling Basin Natural Resources Management 

Board, and the Community Advisory Committee for the Murray–Darling 

Basin Ministerial Council. As a director of Land & Water Australia, Sharon 

has experience in strategic planning for research and extension. 

87 

GRDC Annual Report 2011–2012 Board

Directors as at 30 June 2012 (continued) 

John Woods 

BAppSc (RT) 


Appointed: 8 March 2012, 

until 30 September 2014 

John owns and operates a cropping enterprise in northern New South 

Wales and southern Queensland, where he also participates in summer 

crop R&D trials and innovative new techniques. He has a strong interest 

in economic policy that affects agriculture, reflected in the positions he 

has held in industry and community advisory bodies such as the National 

Rural Advisory Council, the National Agricultural Monitoring System and 

the Agriculture Finance Forum. 

John also has experience in technology transfer and extension of R&D, 

which he demonstrated in his role as Chairman ChemCert Training 

Queensland and as a ChemCert trainer to the grains and cotton 

industries. The extension and adoption of best management practice 

was integral to his role as Queensland Manager Cotton Australia. 

88 



Departing members 

Nicole Birrell 

MSc (LSE), FAICD 


Appointed: 



30 September 2011 

Chair: 


Committee 

Colin Butcher 

MBA, GAICD 

Director 


Appointed: 

11 November 2008 until 


Member: 


Committee 

Steve Marshall 

BSc (Hons1), MAppSc, 

FAIFST 

Deputy Chair 


Appointed: 




Appointed as Deputy 

Chair: 24 February 2009 

until 30 September 2011 

Member: 


Professor 

Timothy Reeves 

BSc (Hons), MAgrSc, FTSE 

Director 


Appointed: 




Member: 


Nicole is an operational risk management consultant and runs a mixed 

farming enterprise at Corowa, New South Wales. She has more than 25 

years experience in corporate and investment banking. 

Nicole is currently a director of Queensland Sugar Ltd, Superpartners Pty 

Ltd and SMS Management and Technology Ltd, and a member of Wheat 

Exports Australia. 

Nicole also serves on the Programs Advisory Committee for the School 

of Applied Economics at Victoria University, Melbourne. She is a past 

director of AusBulk Ltd and Australian Practice Nurses Association Inc. 

Colin is a grain producer from Brookton in Western Australia. His farming 

business produces wheat, canola, barley and hay for export, and sheep 

for meat and wool. 

Colin is also a board member of ChemCert Western Australia and a 

former director of CBH Ltd and Grain Pool Pty Ltd. 

Colin has a strong interest in the management and conservation of 

natural resources. 

Steve has a background in food science and technology management. 

Steve became a director of Go Grains Health & Nutrition Limited in 2008. 

Steve’s career has included the positions of Managing Director of 

Goodman Fielder Ingredients Ltd and Technology Director of Goodman 

Fielder Ltd. 

He was a director of the Rural Industries Research and Development 

Corporation from June 2002 and Deputy Chair until May 2008. He has 

also been a director of the Australian Rural Leadership Foundation. 

Timothy is a consultant specialising in national and international 

agricultural R&D, mostly focused on sustainable agriculture. His career 

in Australia has included positions in the Department of Agriculture, 

Victoria, Adelaide University, Deakin University, Melbourne University 

and Queensland University of Technology. 

He has also held positions in the International Maize and Wheat 

Improvement Center (CIMMYT), United Nations Millennium Project 

Task Force on Hunger, Food and Agriculture Organization of the 

United Nations, European Commission Expert Group for Evaluation of 

Framework Projects, and Academic Advisory Board on International 

Community and Development Studies. 

Timothy is a former President of the Australian Society of Agronomy. 

He has received several international and national honours, including 

the Centenary Medal for service to Australian society.

Departing members (continued) 

Professor 

Graeme Robertson 

BScAg (Hons), PhD, FAIM, 

FAIAST, FTSE 

Director 


Appointed: 

11 November 2008 until 


Member: 


Committee 

Graeme is a consultant and a part-time academic, and serves as a 

Commissioner of the Agricultural Produce Commission in Western 

Australia. He was the Director of Curtin University’s School of Agriculture 

and Environment (the Muresk Institute) from 2004 to 2009. 

Graeme’s career has included 10 years as Director General of the 

Western Australian Department of Agriculture, and he was the inaugural 

Chair of the Land and Water Resources Research and Development 

Corporation. 

Graeme was awarded the Sir William McKell Medal for outstanding 

contribution to soil and land conservation in 1993; the Australian Medal 

of Agricultural Science in 2001; and a Centenary Medal for service to 

Australian society in 2002. 

Board selection 

The Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and 

Forestry selects and appoints the Chair 

of the Board. The Managing Director is 

selected by the Board, and holds office at 

the corporation’s pleasure. 

The GRDC Selection Committee is chosen 

by the Minister, on advice from the grains 

industry representative organisation 

(currently Grain Producers Australia) and 

in consultation with other grower organisations. 

The Selection Committee nominates five 

to seven GRDC directors. Appointment of 

directors nominated through this mechanism 

is subject to ministerial approval. 

Change of Board 

membership 

The terms of Nicole Birrell, Colin Butcher, 

Steve Marshall, Timothy Reeves and Graeme 

Robertson finished on 30 September 2011. 

On 4 November 2011, a new GRDC Board 

was appointed, until 30 September 2014. 

On 4 November 2011 the Board included five 

new members: Richard Brimblecombe, Jeremy 

Burdon, Kim Halbert, Robert Lewis and Sharon 

Starick. They joined the continuing Chair, Keith 

Perrett, and re-appointed member Jenny 

Goddard. A sixth new member, John Woods, 

was appointed to the Board on 8 March 2012. 

On 6 August 2012, the Selection Committee’s 

Presiding Member, Joanne Grainger, delivered 

a copy of her annual report to the Minister. 

A copy of this report is at Appendix E. 

Board Secretary 

Geoff Budd, General Counsel, was the Board 

Secretary until 13 April 2012, when he resigned 

from the GRDC. At 30 June 2012, the role 

was held by Edwina Menzies, Acting General 

Counsel and Corporate Secretary. 

The role of the Board Secretary is to: 

• ensure that Board minutes, resolutions and 

action plans are correctly recorded 

• help ensure that action plans are closed out 

within agreed timeframes 

• prepare Board agendas 

• collate and distribute Board papers and 

other related documents. 

Finance, Risk and 


At 30 June 2012, the Board had one 

committee, the Finance, Risk and Audit 

Committee. The committee assists the Board in 

fulfilling its corporate governance responsibilities 

and reviews the GRDC’s: 

• financial reporting process 

• internal control system 

• risk management strategy and processes 

• internal and external audits 

• process for monitoring compliance with laws 

and regulations and the Board’s code of 

conduct 

• financial statements. 

89 

GRDC Annual Report 2011–2012 Board

90 


The Board receives formal reports from the 

committee, and any decisions the Board makes 

in relation to the reports are recorded in the 

minutes of the subsequent Board meeting. 

The membership of the committee comprises 

at least three of the non-executive members of 

the Board. 

Roles, responsibilities 

and code of conduct 

The roles and responsibilities of members of 

the Board, and their code of conduct, are 

documented in the GRDC Operating Manual. 

The Board reviews its roles and responsibilities 

in July each year. 

Induction and training 

New Board members participate in a formal 

induction process, and all Board members 

undergo a process of continuous education. 

Disclosure of interests 

Directors must comply with the CAC Act 

requirements regarding material personal 

interests and with the GRDC’s policy 

and procedures for conflict of interest. 

The Board reviews declarations of conflicts 

of interest at the start of each Board meeting 

and directors regularly update their conflict of 

interest declarations. 

Independent professional advice 

With the Chair’s approval, directors may obtain 

independent professional advice, at the GRDC’s 

expense, on matters arising in the course of 

their Board and committee duties. 

Meetings 

The GRDC Board holds six to seven meetings 

every 12 months, teleconferences as required, 

and tours to GRDC regions. During 2011–12 

the Board held five meetings in Canberra and 

one meeting in Melbourne. Directors joined 

the regional panels on their spring tours in 

September 2011. 

Each director’s attendance at meetings during 

the year is set out in Table 23. 


Table 23: Attendance at Board and Board committee meetings, 2011–12 

Members Board Finance, Risk and Audit Committee 

Current at 30 June 2012 

Meetings attended 

Meetings held and 

eligible to attend 

Meetings attended 

Meetings held and 

eligible to attend 

Richard Brimblecombe 4 4 3 3 

Jeremy Burdon 3 4 

Jenny Goddard 5 6 3 4 

Kim Halbert 4 4 3 3 

John Harvey 6 6 

Robert Lewis 4 4 

Keith Perrett 6 6 

Sharon Starick 4 4 3 3 

John Woods 2 2 

Departed at 30 September 2011 

Nicole Birrell 2 2 1 1 

Colin Butcher 2 2 1 1 

Steve Marshall 1 2 

Timothy Reeves 2 2 

Graeme Robertson 2 2 1 1

Relationship with the 


The Senior Leadership Group has an advice 

and implementation role in relation to the Board. 

The group investigates and recommends 

matters for the Board to consider. It also 

implements Board decisions in accordance with 

approved policies and procedures, including an 

approval authority schedule that sets out the 

necessary delegations. 

Performance monitoring 

and review 

At the start of each year the Board sets a detailed 

work plan for the corporation. The Board reviews 

the corporation’s performance against the work 

plan at least twice each year. This is a key factor 

in determining the level of any performance 

bonuses paid to GRDC staff. 

At the start of each year the Board also sets 

its own annual key performance objectives. 

The Board reviews its performance against 

these objectives at least twice each year. 

At each meeting the Board uses a checklist 

to review its performance against agreed 

effectiveness indicators. 

The Board periodically commissions an external 

review of its performance. The most recent 

review was completed in April 2010 and 

discussed in the Annual Report 2009–10. 

Advisory panels 

The panel system is a key strength of the GRDC. 

The Board makes decisions with the support 

of a national advisory panel, informed by the 

knowledge and experience of three regional 

panels. This network helps to ensure that GRDC 

investments are directed towards the interests 

of all its stakeholders and deliver benefits as 

relevant products and services in each graingrowing 

region. The efforts and expertise of this 

network of growers, advisers and researchers are 

crucial to the GRDC’s success. 

Table 24: Regional panel membership as 

at 30 June 2012 

Northern Regional Panel 

Chair 

James Clark 

Deputy Chair 

John Sheppard 

Southern Regional Panel 

Chair 

David Shannon 

Deputy Chair 

Peter Schwarz 

Western Regional Panel 

Chair 

Peter Roberts 

Deputy Chair 

Mike Ewing 

Members 

Aaron Sanderson 

Jodi McLean 

Keith Harris 

Loretta Serafin 

Rob Taylor 

Members 

Chris Blanchard 

Susan Findlay 

Tickner 

Chris Jones 

Richard Konzag 

Members 

Ralph Burnett 

John Even 

Paul Kelly 

Narrelle Moore 

William Ryan 

Mark Sutherland 

Vicki Green 

William Martel 

Stephen Thomas 

Bill Long 

Neil Fettell 

John Minogue 

Keith Pengilley 

Stuart Kearns 

Shauna Stone 

Susan Hall 

Kit Leake 

Vince Logan 

91 

GRDC Annual Report 2011–2012 Advisory panels 

GRDC Southern Regional Panel. From left: (back row) David 

Shannon (Chair), John Minogue, Chris Jones, Neil Fettell, 

Peter Schwarz; (front row) Bill Long, Chris Blanchard, Richard 

Konzag, Susan Findlay Tickner, Keith Pengilley, Stuart Kearns. 

Photo: Geoff Comfort 

The GRDC Operating Manual covers the roles, 

responsibilities, code of conduct, remuneration 

and selection guidelines for panel members. 

Panel members as at 30 June 2012 are listed 

in Table 24. Biographical information on panel 

members is available from the GRDC’s website 

and YouTube channel.


The SLG has five members: the Managing 

Director and the executive managers from each 

of the four business groups. The management 

structure as at 30 June 2012 is shown in 

Figure 9 in Part 1. 

The SLG leads the GRDC’s business activities, 

advises the GRDC Board and implements the 

Board’s decisions. To ensure that the GRDC’s 

operations are monitored and managed 

efficiently and effectively, the SLG meets 

regularly, and maintains and updates an annual 

business schedule. 

Information on the roles and backgrounds of the 

SLG members is shown in Figure 17. 

92 



Figure 17: Members of the GRDC Senior Leadership Group in 2011–12 

John 

Harvey 

Managing 

Director 

Stephen 

Thomas 

Executive 

Manager 


Programs 

Vince 

Logan 

Executive 

Manager 

Commercial 

Leecia 

Angus 

Executive 

Manager 

Corporate 

Services 

John joined the GRDC in November 1997 as Program Manager Farming Systems. 

He became Manager R&D Programs in 2001, Executive Manager Varieties in 2005 

andManaging Director in March 2011. 

John is a graduate member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. He is a 

director of Australian Crop Accreditation System Limited and was a director of the Value 

Added Wheat Cooperative Research Centre (VAWCRC). He was on the management 

boards of Pulse Breeding Australia, Barley Breeding Australia and the National Soybean 

Breeding Program until becoming GRDC Managing Director. 

John’s background is in agricultural extension and research, development and extension 

(RD&E) management. He previously worked with the Queensland Department of Primary 

Industries. 

Stephen joined the GRDC in March 2009. He manages all aspects, including 

performance, of the GRDC’s R&D investments. 

Stephen is a graduate member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. He was 

a director of the VAWCRC and has held board positions with Enterprise Grains Australia 

and the Australian Sheep Industry CRC. 

Stephen was Director of Rural Innovation at the New South Wales Department of 

Primary Industries and a member of the New South Wales Expert Committee on Gene 

Technology. Stephen has an honours degree in agricultural science and a PhD in 

molecular biology from Adelaide University. He has undertaken postdoctoral research 

in Australia and overseas. 

Vince joined the GRDC in 1996 as Business Manager. He was appointed Executive 

Manager Business Development in 2001 and Executive Manager New Products in 

2004. Vince manages all aspects, including performance, of the GRDC’s commercial 

R&D investments. 

Vince is a CPA and a graduate member of the Australian Institute of Company 

Directors. He is a director of Novozymes Biologicals Australia Pty Ltd and Arista 

Cereal Technologies Pty Ltd. He has been a board member of Pulse Australia Limited, 

GrainGene, the VAWCRC and Australian Grain Technologies Pty Ltd. 

Vince comes from a background of 17 years in finance and marketing roles in the 

petroleum industry. 

Leecia joined the GRDC in 2005 as Manager Wheat and Barley Breeding. She was 

appointed Executive Manager Corporate Strategy & Impact Assessment, in May 2009. 

In July 2011, Leecia became the Executive Manager Corporate Services, in which role 

she manages the enabling functions of the GRDC. 

Leecia holds an honours degree in science and a Graduate Diploma in Applied Finance 

and Investment. She is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and 

the Australian Rural Leadership Program. 

Stuart 

Kearns 

Executive 

Manager 

Regional 

Grower 

Services 

Stuart joined the GRDC in 1998 as the Northern Panel Officer and later took on the 

additional role of Policy Adviser. He became Program Facilitator within the Product 

and Service Delivery group in 2002, Manager Validation and Adoption in 2005, and 

Executive Manager Regional Grower Services in 2012. Stuart has primary accountability 

for building, leading and managing the GRDC’s Regional Grower Services business 

group to deliver research outputs in innovative products and services that create 

awareness and practice change and meet the needs of growers and their advisers. 

Stuart is President of the Australian Capital Territory and Southern New South 

Wales Division of the Australian Institute of Agricultural Science and Technology and 

was Chairman of the local organising committee for the fifth World Congress on 

Conservation Agriculture. He has held management positions in the Grain and Graze 

program for mixed farming enterprises.

Business groups 

The GRDC’s three operational business 

groups—Research Programs, Commercial, 

and Regional Grower Services—oversee and 

manage investments to achieve the outcomes 

determined under the GRDC’s Strategic R&D 

Plan 2012–17. The operational business groups 

are supported by the enabling business group, 

Corporate Services. 

In August 2011, the business groups replaced 

the four lines of business—Varieties, Practices, 

New Products and Communication & Capacity 

Building—that were established to deliver the 

objectives of the Strategic R&D Plan 2007–12. 

Table 25 provides details of the role of 

each group. 

Table 25: GRDC business groups 

Mandate 

Operational business groups 


Create value for Australian grain growers 

by investing in R&D programs that address 

key grains industry priorities, enhance 

competiveness and sustainability and 

generate the greatest potential return for 

growers and the wider community. 

Ensure that R&D programs are nationally 

coordinated and integrated with extension 

so that the Australian grains industry has 

access to a highly capable and effective 

research, development and extension 

(RD&E) sector with the infrastructure and 

capability to meet future industry needs. 

Commercial 

Access and develop innovation from 

Australia and overseas to ensure that it 

is commercialised in such a way that the 

overall benefit to Australian grain growers 

is optimised. 

Regional Grower Services 

Deliver the outputs of research in 

innovative products and services that 

meet the needs of growers and their 

advisers in each region. 

Enabling business group 

Corporate Services 

In the context of the GRDC delivering 

benefits to its stakeholders, provide: 

• the supporting services required for 

the GRDC to plan, conduct, report 

on and assess the effectiveness of its 

operations 

• processes to assist the operational 

business groups to achieve their 

objectives 

• support for effective governance of the 

GRDC by the Board. 

Priorities 

• Design R&D programs focused on addressing issues identified by 

stakeholders. 

• Deliver R&D outcomes that are adoptable and therefore have an impact 

at the farm level. 

• Provide scientific advice to stakeholders to assist in the identification 

of issues. 

• Provide national coordination and regional linkages that ensure that R&D is 

focused and adoptable. 

• Ensure that R&D capability is maintained in core areas. 

• Expand the GRDC’s global reach in order to increase the availability of 

technology to the Australian industry. 

• Invest in R&D and commercialisation in commercial grain technologies and 

commercial farm technologies that meet industry priorities and provide the 

greatest benefit to the GRDC’s stakeholders. 

• Take the lead in identification, scoping, undertaking market assessment and 

assessing the value of GRDC commercially orientated investments. 

• Ensure that the GRDC’s investment in intellectual property and commercial 

enterprises continues to be focused on providing a return on investment. 

• Identify the opportunities provided within the GRDC R&D portfolio to form 

more commercial partnerships to deliver benefits to the Australian industry. 

• Understand growers’ needs (listen to what is important). 

• Develop new and improved grower-orientated products and services. 

• Deliver high-value regionally relevant products and services to growers 

and advisers. 

• Evaluate the performance and impact of GRDC products and services on 

growers’ performance. 

• Plan to satisfy corporation objectives. 

• Establish business processes to optimally support all business groups in 

the GRDC. 

• Provide services to the operational business groups (human resources, 

information technology, records management and evaluation). 

• Report for risk and compliance purposes. 

• Perform financial forecasting, reporting and budgeting. 

• Provide legal advice to the corporation. 

• Conduct performance evaluation, including impact assessment. 

• Perform portfolio and business analysis. 

93 

GRDC Annual Report 2011–2012 Business groups

Accountability 

94 



The GRDC is accountable to Australian grain 

growers and the Australian Government 

for its performance in addressing their 

identified priorities. The GRDC also meets 

its responsibilities under its governing 

legislation and the broader legal framework 

for Commonwealth statutory authorities. 

Accountability to the 


Responsible minister 

Under the PIERD Act, the GRDC is accountable 

to the Australian Parliament through the Minister 

for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, who 

is responsible for all RDCs. During 2011–12, 

Senator the Hon. Joe Ludwig was the Minister 

for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. 

Senator the Hon. Joe Ludwig, Minister for Agriculture, 

Fisheries and Forestry (right), measures nitrous oxide 

emissions with Peter Grace, Professor of Global Change 

at the Queensland University of Technology. 

Photo: Queensland University of Technology 

Australian Government priorities 

The GRDC’s strategies and investments actively 

address the Australian Government’s National 

Research Priorities and ministerial research 

priorities for rural R&D. These priorities are 

discussed in detail in Part 1 and the GRDC’s 

achievements in meeting them during 2011–12 

are discussed in detail in Part 2. 

Ministerial directions 

The PIERD Act and the CAC Act provide that 

the responsible minister or the Finance Minister 

may direct the GRDC with respect to the 

performance of its functions and the exercise of 

its powers, or require it to provide information. 

In July 1998, the responsible minister, the 

Minister for Primary Industries and Energy, 

issued a direction requiring the GRDC to 

comply with the reporting requirements of the 

Guidelines on Funding of Consultation Costs 

by Primary Industries and Energy Portfolio 

Statutory Authorities. 

On 1 December 2004, the Finance Minister 

issued the Finance Minister’s (CAC Act 

Procurement) Directions 2004, requiring the 

GRDC to comply with the Commonwealth 

Procurement Guidelines. 

On 18 December 2006, the Finance 

Minister required the GRDC to provide an 

annual report on compliance and financial 

sustainability, under section 16(1)(c) of the 

CAC Act. The requirements are detailed 

in Finance Circular 2008/05 Compliance 

Reporting–CAC Act bodies. 

On 23 September 2008, the responsible 

minister, the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries 

and Forestry, directed the GRDC to adopt the 

Australian Government Bargaining Framework. 

The GRDC is complying with the directions. 

General policies of the government 

Until 1 July 2008, under section 28 of the 

CAC Act, the responsible minister could notify 

the GRDC Board of any general Australian 

Government policies that apply to the GRDC. 

The GRDC had been notified of the following 

policies as at 30 June 2008: 

• Commonwealth Fraud Control Guidelines 

2011 (replacing Commonwealth Fraud 

Control Guidelines 2002) 

• Finance Circular No. 2006/06 Australian 

Government Foreign Exchange Risk 

Management Guidelines (replacing Finance 

Circular 2002/01 and Finance Circular 

2004/11)

• Finance Circular No. 2005/09 Australian 

Government Cost Recovery Guidelines 

(replacing Finance Circular 2002/02) 

• National Code of Practice for the 

Construction Industry and the associated 

Implementation Guidelines 

• Australian Government Property Ownership 

Framework 2005 

• Australian Government Protective Security 

Policy Framework (replacing Protective 

Security Manual 2005). 

Section 28 of the CAC Act has been amended, 

and now provides that from 1 July 2008 the 

GRDC must comply with any General Policy 

Order made by the Finance Minister, to the 

extent that it applies to the GRDC. At 30 June 

2012, the Finance Minister had not made any 

General Policy Orders that apply to the GRDC. 

Accountability to the 


Industry representative 

Under the PIERD Act, the GRDC is made 

accountable to Australian grain growers 

through the industry’s representative 

organisation, Grain Producers Australia (GPA). 

The GRDC also consults widely with a range of 

other grower organisations. 

Grains industry priorities 

In setting directions for 2011–12 (the final 

year of the Strategic R&D Plan 2007–12), 

the GRDC identified industry priorities through 

direct consultations with GPA, as well as 

local research advisory committees, grower 

groups, grower organisations and individual 

grain growers. The key industry priorities were 

incorporated into the GRDC Annual Operational 

Plan 2011–12. The priorities are discussed in 

detail in Part 1 and the GRDC’s achievements in 

meeting them during 2011–12 are discussed in 

detail in Part 2. 

Stakeholder report 

Each year the GRDC prepares a stakeholder 

report to assist the representative organisation 

to formulate advice to the Minister on setting 

the research levy rates which provide the 

basis for the corporation’s income. The draft 

stakeholder report for 2012–13 was provided 

to GPA in October 2011 for comment. The final 

Stakeholder Report 2012–13 was provided to 

GPA in June 2012. 

The GRDC also prepares a growers’ report 

each year. This 20-page report is a shortened 

form of the GRDC annual report, providing a 

reader-friendly summary of how the GRDC 

operates, the corporation’s financial situation, 

and highlights of research investments. 

The 2010–11 report was circulated to growers 

and other Ground Cover subscribers in 

December 2011. 

Industry levy rates 

In 2011–12, a levy rate of 0.99 percent applied 

to all leviable crops covered by the GRDC, with 

the exception of maize, which was levied at 

0.693 percent. 

The levies were imposed and collected as 

stipulated by the: 

• Primary Industries (Excise) Levies Act 1999, 

supported by the Primary Industries (Excise) 

Levies Regulations 1999, Schedules 4, 12, 

20 and 25 

• Primary Industries Levies and Charges 

Collection Act 1991, supported by the 

Primary Industries Levies and Charges 

Collection Regulations 1991, Schedules 8, 

19, 29 and 34. 

Proceeds from levies in 2011–12 are recorded in 

Note 4B of the notes to the financial statements. 

The GRDC paid the Australian Government 

Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and 

Forestry $644,673 for the collection and 

management of levies in 2011–12. 

Consultation 

arrangements 

The GRDC paid GPA $38,345 plus GST 

for its participation in consultations with 

the corporation during 2011–12. GPA used 

these funds to meet its costs of preparing 

for and attending consultative meetings 

with the GRDC, to consider grains industry 

strategic directions and concerns and to 

assess the corporation’s performance against 

industry expectations. 

The payments for consultation were 

made under the Guidelines on Funding of 

Consultation Costs by Primary Industries and 

95 

GRDC Annual Report 2011–2012 Accountability

96 



Energy Portfolio Statutory Authorities, issued by 

the Minister for Primary Industries and Energy in 

July 1998. The guidelines also require that when 

a representative organisation conducts a project 

or consultancy on behalf of a statutory authority 

details are to be included in the authority’s 

annual report. 

The GRDC also paid the travel and 

accommodation costs of representatives 

of other grower groups, to attend formal 

consultation meetings with the GRDC. 

Obligations under 

the Commonwealth 

Authorities and 

Companies Act 

Accountability 

A system of accountability and reporting 

obligations for the GRDC, reflecting its 

obligations under the PIERD Act, is set out 

under the CAC Act. Under the CAC Act, the 

GRDC is obliged to: 

• prepare an annual report (in the prescribed 

form, including a report of operations), 

and give it to the responsible minister by 

15 October each year (section 9) 

• ensure that any subsidiary’s financial 

statements are audited by the 

Auditor-General (section 12(1)) 

• prepare and provide to the responsible 

minister interim reports during a financial 

year, if required by the Finance Minister by 

notice in the Gazette (section 13) 

• prepare and provide budget estimates 

(section 14) 

• provide the responsible minister (in writing) 

with particulars of any proposal of the 

GRDC to undertake any one of a number of 

significant events (section 15) 

• keep the responsible minister informed of the 

operations of the GRDC and its subsidiaries 

and provide such reports, documents and 

information as that minister or the Finance 

Minister requires (section 16) 

• invest any reserves in accordance with the 

manners listed in section 18 or approved 

by the Finance Minister (approved under 

Commonwealth Authorities and Companies 

Act 1997—Investment Approval 2008/01— 

Grains Research and Development 

Corporation and Commonwealth Authorities 

and Companies Act 1997—Investment 

Approval 2008/01—Dematerialised 

equivalents) 

• comply with any General Policy Orders of the 

Australian Government to the extent that the 

General Policy Order applies to it (sections 

28 and 48A) 

• ensure that the general policies of the 

Australian Government as notified to the 

corporation before 1 July 2008 are carried 

out (Table A Item 71). 

Conduct of officers 

The CAC Act imposes specific standards 

of general conduct for directors and other 

officers. Sections 22–27P ensure that officers 

of Commonwealth authorities are subject to 

standards of conduct comparable to those 

required of officers of companies under the 

Corporations Act 2001. 

In particular, a director must disclose to 

a meeting of the Board the nature of any 

material personal interest in a matter to be 

considered by the Board and, unless otherwise 

determined by the Board or the Minister, ensure 

that he or she is not present at deliberations 

and does not take part in any decision on the 

relevant subject matter (section 27F to section 

27K). These requirements are reinforced by 

the GRDC’s policy and procedures regarding 

conflict of interest. 

Sanctions 

A civil penalty regime is contained in the CAC 

Act (Schedule 2), to deal with any breach by 

directors of: 

• annual reporting rules (section 11) 

• accounting records (section 20) 

• their general duty to exercise care and 

diligence (section 22) 

• their general duty to act in good faith 

(section 23) 

• their duty to not make improper use of the 

position of director to gain an advantage or 

cause detriment (sections 24 and 25).

Independent audits 

The Auditor-General, under the CAC Act, 

is required to audit each Commonwealth 

authority’s financial statements. In addition, 

the Auditor-General Act 1997 confirms the 

power of the Auditor-General’s staff to carry 

out performance audits of Commonwealth 

authorities and, in this role, to obtain documents 

and information. 

The Auditor-General’s Independent Audit Report 

on the GRDC for 2011–12 is presented on 

pages 108–109. 

Judicial decisions and 

reviews by outside bodies 

In 2011–12, the GRDC was not affected by 

judicial decisions or reviews by administrative 

tribunals, the Auditor-General, parliamentary 

committees, the Commonwealth Ombudsman 

or the Office of the Australian Information 

Commissioner. 

Significant events 

One of the GRDC’s reporting requirements 

under section 15 of the CAC Act is to notify 

the responsible minister of significant events. 

Table 26 lists significant events of which the 

GRDC notified the Minister for Agriculture, 

Fisheries and Forestry during 2011–12, as 

well as the dates on which the Minister made 

announcements or decisions of particular 

significance to the GRDC. 

Table 26: Significant events, 2011–12 

Date 

Event 

8 July 2011 The GRDC Managing Director wrote to the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Senator 

the Hon. Joe Ludwig, to seek approval of the draft enterprise agreement. 

11 July 2011 The Minister advised that the selection process for directors was underway. 

6 October 2011 The GRDC submitted the GRDC’s Annual Report 2010–11 to the Minister. 

4 November 2011 The Minister advised the appointment of directors to the GRDC Board. 

8 November 2011 The Minister approved the GRDC’s 2010–11 Annual Report for tabling. The report was tabled in 

parliament on 22 November 2011. 

8 November 2011 The Minister approved the GRDC’s draft enterprise agreement. 

8 March 2012 The Minister advised the appointment of John Woods as a member of the GRDC Board. 

19 March 2012 The GRDC Chair wrote to the Minister to recommend the appointment of Kim Halbert as 

GRDC Deputy Chair. 

10 April 2012 The Minister confirmed the appointment of Kim Halbert as GRDC Deputy Chair. 

26 April 2012 The GRDC submitted the GRDC’s Annual Operational Plan 2012–13 to the Minister. 

26 April 2012 The GRDC submitted the GRDC’s Strategic R&D Plan 2012–17 to the Minister. 

1 May 2012 The Minister advised the GRDC of priorities to be reflected in the Strategic R&D Plan 2012–17 

and Annual Operational Plan 2012–13. 

19 June 2012 The Minister approved the GRDC’s Annual Operational Plan 2012–13. 

19 June 2012 The Minister approved the GRDC’s Strategic R&D Plan 2012–17. 

97 

GRDC Annual Report 2011–2012 Accountability

Corporate governance 

98 



The GRDC Board has overall responsibility for 

corporate governance within the organisation 

and places high value on continuously improving 

the GRDC’s performance in this area. 

Key activities during 2011–12 included: 

• development of the new five-year strategic 

R&D plan 

• liaison with the grain grower representative 

organisation, GPA, and the Department of 

Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry 

• assessment of major investment 

opportunities 

• ongoing review of policies 

• ongoing risk assessment and management 

• ongoing monitoring to ensure that 

compliance obligations were met. 

Policies and procedures 

In continuously improving the GRDC’s corporate 

governance, the corporation is guided by the 

Australian National Audit Office Better Practice 

Guide: Public Sector Governance. 

The GRDC Operating Manual, which is available 

to the Board and all staff members, describes 

the corporation’s: 

• policies and procedures 

• roles and responsibilities (including those of 

the Board and its committees) 

• Code of Conduct 

• approval authority schedule, which sets out 

delegations from the Board to management 

under the PIERD Act. 

Code of Conduct 

The GRDC Code of Conduct is published as 

part of the GRDC Operating Manual. New 

directors and staff members are introduced to 

the code during induction, and presentations on 

the code are made to staff at regular intervals. 

All staff have access to the code via the policies 

section on the GRDC intranet. 

Risk management and 

fraud control 

Risk management has been embraced 

throughout the GRDC as a tool to assess risks 

at the strategic, operational and project levels. 

The GRDC prepares a regular business 

environment report to the Board. This report is 

used to update the GRDC’s situation analysis 

and identify developing risks. 

The SLG and Board conduct a detailed 

review of the GRDC’s strategic risks at least 

every six months. 

The GRDC conducts external business risk 

assessments. External provider Oakton 

completed an external business risk assessment 

in December 2011, and subsequent staff 

training took place in May 2012. 

The GRDC also conducts a fraud risk 

assessment every two years. During 2011–12 

the GRDC engaged Oakton to conduct a fraud 

risk assessment, in conjunction with GRDC 

management, and to provide an updated GRDC 

Fraud Control Plan for 2011 to 2013. Oakton 

provided the final Fraud Risk Assessment and 

Fraud Control Plan in December 2011. 

To ensure that the business and fraud risks 

identified in the Business Risk Assessment 

and Fraud Control Plan are fully monitored 

and regularly updated, the Executive Manager 

Corporate Services and the Compliance Office 

prepare a business risk assessment report 

and a fraud control action plan. The SLG, in 

consultation with managers, updates the report 

and action plan each month. The Board reviews 

these documents at each meeting, as does the 

Finance, Risk and Audit Committee. 

The SLG also conducts a full review of the 

business risk assessment report and the fraud 

control action plan every six months. The 

business risk report template was prepared in 

accordance with risk management standard 

AS/NZS ISO 3100:2009 Risk Management— 

Principles and Guidelines. 

The GRDC’s Managing Director is satisfied that: 

• a fraud risk assessment and fraud control 

plan have been prepared that comply with 

the Commonwealth Fraud Control Guidelines

• appropriate fraud prevention, detection, 

investigation and reporting procedures and 

processes are in place 

• annual fraud data that complies with the 

Commonwealth Fraud Control Guidelines has 

been collected and reported to the Australian 

Institute of Criminology. 

The GRDC is insured by Comcover, the 

Australian Government’s self-managed fund 

for insurance risks. Each year the GRDC 

participates in Comcover’s Risk Management 

Benchmarking Program. The March 2012 

benchmarking survey rated the GRDC at 7.6 out 

of 10—the ‘peer group’ of 25 small agencies’ 

average was 6.4 out of 10. 

Quality assurance 

The GRDC’s Quality Management System has 

ISO9001:2008 quality assurance accreditation 

from BSI Management Systems. 

In 2011–12, regular internal audits were 

conducted by a contracted certified auditor over 

two days every two months. In February 2012, 

a successful external surveillance audit was 

conducted by BSI Management Systems and 

the GRDC’s certification to the ISO9001:2008 

standard was continued. 

In addition, the SLG formally reviewed the 

quality system every six months. All aspects 

of the quality system were considered at 

the quality management review meetings, 

including required improvements, complaints, 

non-conformances and commendations. 

Figure 18 shows the results of the quality audits 

and other feedback in 2011–12. The audits 

demonstrate that the quality management 

system is robust, is being used correctly and 

continues to be a useful tool for business 

improvement. 

Indemnities and insurance 

premiums for officers 

GRDC officers, including members of the 

Board, are insured by the GRDC against 

various liabilities that they may incur in their 

capacity as officers of the corporation, through 

Comcover. The Comcover insurance contract 

prohibits the GRDC from disclosing the nature 

or limit of the liabilities covered or the amount of 

premiums payable. 

Figure 18: Results of quality audits, 2011–12 

Jul 2011 

Aug 2011 

Sep 2011 

Oct 2011 

Nov 2011 

Dec 2011 

Jan 2012 

Feb 2012 

Mar 2012 

Apr 2012 

May 2012 

Jun 2012 

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 

Non-conformances Complaints Improvements Commendations 

Environmental objectives 

The GRDC is required to report annually on 

its performance in relation to ecologically 

sustainable development and other 

environmental issues discussed in section 

516A of the Environment Protection and 

Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC 

Act). The principles of ecologically sustainable 

development have been incorporated into the 

decision-making systems and processes of the 

GRDC, as required under the EPBC Act. 

The GRDC’s environmental policy states: 

The GRDC is committed to investing in 

RD&E that addresses the environmental 

priorities of its stakeholders and underpins 

the sustainable development of an 

internationally competitive Australian 


The GRDC seeks investments that address 

the environmental concerns represented in the 

Australian Government’s National Research 

Priorities and Rural R&D Priorities (as shown in 

Table 5 in Part 1). 

99 

GRDC Annual Report 2011–2012 Corporate governance

100 



Privacy Commissioner 

The corporation’s privacy policy and procedures 

form part of the GRDC Operating Manual. 

The GRDC’s annual Personal Information 

Digest entry as at 30 June 2012 has been 

lodged with the Privacy Commissioner. 

The online digest may be viewed at the 

commissioner’s website (www.privacy.gov.au). 

Freedom of information 

Agencies subject to the Freedom of Information 

Act 1982 (FOI Act) are required to publish 

information to the public as part of the 

Information Publication Scheme (IPS). This 

requirement is in Part II of the FOI Act and has 

replaced the former requirement to publish 

a section 8 statement in an annual report. 

Each agency must display on its website a 

plan showing what information it publishes in 

accordance with the IPS requirements. 

Relevant information on the GRDC’s 

information, including its IPS plan, is available 

from the GRDC’s website, at www.grdc.com.au/ 

About-Us/Freedom-of-Information/Informationpublication-scheme. 

The GRDC values its people highly and 

recognises that attracting, developing and 

retaining the right staff are fundamental to the 

ongoing success of the corporation. Individual 

performance is monitored and rewarded, 

excellence is encouraged, and training and 

development needs are identified as part of 

performance management, in order to meet 

the requirements of the GRDC now and in 

the future. 

Staff 

People 

management 

Table 27 summarises the GRDC’s personnel 

structure at 30 June 2012, while Table 28 lists 

individual staff members by position. 

Table 27: Personnel structure as at 

30 June 2012 

Type of employment Male Female Total 

Full-time permanent 25 21 46 

Part-time permanent 0 4 4 

Temporary 3 1 4 

Parental leave 0 3 3 

Total 28 29 57 

A team-building exercise for GRDC staff in November 2011. Photo: GRDC

Table 28: Staff as at 30 June 2012 

Position 

Occupant 

Managing Director’s area Managing Director John Harvey 

Executive Assistant 

Communication Manager 

Communication Coordinator 

Wynette Neil (P) 

Mary Dalton (T) 

Kylie Dunstan 

Sarah Smith 

Commercial Executive Manager Vince Logan 

Administrative Coordinator 

Senior Manager Commercial Grain Technologies 

Manager Commercial Farm Technologies 

Senior Manager Commercial Enterprises 

Bettina Garrett 

Jody Higgins 

Paul Meibusch 

Andreas Betzner 

Corporate Services Executive Manager Leecia Angus 

General Counsel and Corporate Secretary 

Corporate Lawyer 

Section Head Finance and Audit 

Manager Finance 

Contracts Coordinator 

Accountant—Reporting 

Human Resources Coordinator 

Contract Payments Officer 

Accounts Payable Officer 

Section Head Planning Processes and Reporting 

Strategic Planning and Reporting 

Compliance Officer 

Manager IT Facilities 

Network Administrator 

Network Support Officer 

Manager Business Processes and Procurement 

Impact, Business and Portfolio Analysis 

Manager Records and Building 

Receptionist 

Vacant 

James Macintyre 

Danielle Jakubowski (P) 

Nino Divito 

Klaudia Skazlic 

Johan Pienaar (A) 

Cerasela Muller 

Carmen Jiang 

Diana Barry 

Vincent Fernandes (A) 

Zoltan Lukacs 

Catherine Wells 

Bob Watson (A) 

Vacant 

Brendan Lawler 

Cathy Stewart 

Vacant 

Ross Thompson 

Kevin Wren (T) 

Michelle Priest (P) 

Sara Gordon (P) 

Regional Grower Services Executive Manager Stuart Kearns 


Senior Manager Products and Services 

Publishing Manager 

Manager Delivery Platforms 

Webmaster 

Manager Grower Services West 

Manager Grower Services North 

Manager Grower Services South 

Tom Riethmuller (T) 

Kyle Thoms 

Maureen Cribb 

Tom McCue 

Nikki Bricknell 

Darren Hughes 

Sharon O’Keeffe 

Andrew Rice 

101 

GRDC Annual Report 2011–2012 People management

Table 28: Staff as at 30 June 2012 (continued) 

Position 

Occupant 

Research Programs Executive Manager Stephen Thomas 

102 

Administrative Coordinator Capacity 

Senior Manger Natural Resources 

Project Manager Resource Management 


Senior Manager Plant Health 

Project Manager Plant Health 


Senior Manager Breeding Programs 

Project Manager Breeding Programs 


Merrilyn Baulman 

Martin Blumenthal 

Tanya Robinson 

Tom Langley (T) 

Rohan Rainbow 

Lucinda Staley (A) 

Wendy Bosci 

Brondwen MacLean 

Kate Light 

Vacant 


Senior Manager Operations and Farm Practices 

Manager Trial Operations 

Project Manager Farm Practices 

Senior Manager Discovery 

Manager Yield and Quality Traits 

Manager Protection Traits 

Project Manager Traits 

Vacant 

Tom Giles 

Jan Edwards 

Juan Juttner 

Jorge Mayer 

Francis Ogbonnaya 

Omid Ansari 

A = acting, P = part-time permanent, T = temporary 

Note: Three staff members were on maternity leave on 30 June 2012: Zoe Morosini (Project Manager Plant Health), Noelia Grech (Section 

Head Planning Processes and Reporting) and Carolyn Pearson (Administrative Coordinator). 


Recruitment, retention 

and succession 

management 

During 2011–12, 15 people were recruited to 

fill vacancies. Six of the vacancies arose from 

the establishment of new positions: Human 

Resources Coordinator, Senior Manager 

Products and Services, Manager Grower 

Services North, Manager Grower Services 

South, Manager Grower Services West, and 

Manager Protection Traits. 

The GRDC continued to attract sound people 

from the agricultural and research sectors, 

indicating that the organisation continues 

to have a strong reputation as an employer. 

The GRDC has also been successful in retaining 

experienced staff; its low turnover rate allows 

the organisation to focus on staff development 

rather than recruitment. Nine staff members left 

the GRDC in 2011–12. 

The GRDC conducts a formal succession 

planning and talent management process 

each year, taking into consideration internal 

and external factors that might affect the 

organisation and its people. Staff are rated 

according to their potential to take up certain 

roles, based on past results and performance 

ratings. People identified as having good 

potential to take on new roles are encouraged 

and assisted to develop their skills in case an 

opportunity should arise. The succession plan 

is reviewed by the Board and is a successful 

retention tool, as staff are recognised for their 

skills and performance. 

Learning and 

development 

The GRDC encourages staff to undertake 

external education to enhance their skill set and 

professional development and continue their 

career growth, which eventually benefits GRDC 

business outcomes. 

In 2011–12, several staff members continued 

formal study and other members of staff 

attended short courses and conferences.

The GRDC is proud to have supported: 

• three employees who undertook academic 

studies in such subjects as creativity and 

strategy for innovation, chartered accounting, 

and conflict of interest 

• 10 employees who attended managerial and 

leadership training programs 

• 24 employees who attended training 

and development courses in the areas of 

finance and taxation, government contracts, 

governance, risk and compliance, workplace 

health and safety, business continuity 

management, occupational first aid, policy 

design and delivery, negotiation skills, and 

project management. 

Monthly staff briefings and regular face-to-face 

communications such as social club activities 

and team-building excursions keep staff 

informed, involved, valued and cohesive in their 

commitment to and ownership of grains RD&E 

and GRDC initiatives. 

Performance 

management 

The GRDC’s performance management 

process encourages staff to excel. Each staff 

member’s progress towards agreed personal 

and corporate management objectives and 

competencies is reviewed by their manager 

twice each year. The discussion leads 

to a mutual agreement on progress and 

performance. At the end of the year, an annual 

performance increment rewards excellent 

individual performance while taking into account 

the overall performance of the organisation. 

Enterprise agreement 

The Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and 

Forestry directed the GRDC to adopt the 

Australian Government Bargaining Framework. 

The corporation has complied with this direction. 

The GRDC Enterprise Agreement 2011–13 

became effective on 9 December 2011 and 

will expire on 31 December 2013. It has 

been posted on the GRDC’s intranet and all 

employees are familiar with its provisions. 

As part of the implementation of the agreement, 

a new consultation mechanism, the Workplace 

Consultative Committee, was established. 

Its members were selected by staff and its 

role is mainly to discuss work-related matters 

with management. 

Equal employment 

opportunity 

Staff are employed under terms and conditions 

consistent with the Equal Employment 

Opportunity (Commonwealth Authorities) 

Act 1987. Equal opportunity employment is 

prescribed in the employment policy set out in the 

GRDC Operating Manual, and in the provisions of 

the GRDC Enterprise Agreement 2011–13. 

Consistent with a wish to support staff 

members who have family responsibilities, the 

GRDC has been accommodating reasonable 

requests from staff members who require 

flexible working arrangements in order to meet 

family commitments while remaining in the 

workforce. Three female members of staff were 

on maternity leave at 30 June 2012. The GRDC 

participates in the Australian Government’s Paid 

Parental Leave scheme and staff benefit from 

financial support from the scheme as well as the 

GRDC’s paid maternity leave. 

The GRDC welcomes new members of staff from 

within Australia and from around the world, and is 

proud that its workforce enjoys cultural diversity 

while remaining harmonious and cohesive. 

The GRDC ensures that its employment policies 

and procedures comply with the requirements 

of the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 in the 

broader context of the National Disability Strategy 

2010–20, and seeks to remove obstacles that 

may discourage people with disabilities from 

contributing to the work of the GRDC. 

Analysis of the GRDC workforce for 2011–12 

shows that, compared to last year, both the 

gender profile and the age profile remained steady. 

Table 29 shows the age and gender profile of 

GRDC staff for the past two reporting periods. 

Table 29 : Breakdown of staff by age and 

gender, 2010–11 and 2011–12 

2010–11 2011–12 

Number % Number % 

20–30 years 8 17 10 17 

31–40 years 14 29 17 30 

41–50 years 12 25 15 25 

51–60 years 13 27 14 25 

>60 years 1 2 1 3 

Female 24 50 29 53 

Male 24 50 28 47 

Total 50 100 57 100 

103 


104 



Work health and safety 

During 2011–12, the GRDC designed and 

partially implemented a work health and safety 

(WHS) framework complying with the Work 

Health and Safety Act 2011 and Work Health 

and Safety Regulations 2011. 

From a health and safety perspective, the 

GRDC’s goal is to provide a safe environment 

for its workers. The GRDC’s strategy to achieve 

this goal materialised in: 

• appropriate policy and procedures 

• a participatory approach 

• the identification of risks and risk mitigators 

• processes for dealing with incidents 

• education and training for workers 

• regular reporting 

• resources 

• periodic review. 

The GRDC’s framework for workplace health 

and safety expresses commitment in the 

area of managerial responsibilities and details 

how relevant legislation will be implemented. 

Processes for consultation between employees 

and their representatives and management have 

been established, through a WHS Committee 

and WHS representatives. 

The GRDC has clearly defined health and safety 

responsibilities, including in job descriptions. 

The following WHS roles and responsibilities 

have been defined: 

• individual workers—ensure that their 

conduct does not endanger themselves, 

others or the environment; ensure their own 

health and safety; and take reasonable care 

for the health and safety of others 

• working groups—take steps to ensure that 

the identified hazards are eliminated as far as 

reasonably practicable or controlled using the 

hierarchy of risk 

• the WHS Committee—be responsible 

for ensuring that effective consultation 

takes place within their area, and provide 

WHS advice 

• WHS representatives—represent working 

group members in relation to health and 

safety matters at work 

• first aid officers—ensure that the health 

of workers and conditions at the workplace 

are monitored for the purpose of preventing 

work-related illness or injury 

• fire wardens—provide any information, 

training, instruction or supervision needed to 

protect all persons from risks to their health 

and safety associated with fire danger 

• executive managers—ensure that the 

WHS policy and programs are effectively 

implemented in their area of control; and be 

accountable for taking all practical measures 

to ensure that the workplace under their 

control is safe and without risks to health 

• regional panel chairs—ensure that the 

WHS policy and programs are effectively 

implemented in their area of control; and 

be held accountable for taking all practical 

measures to ensure that the workplace 

under their control is safe and without risks 

to health 

• the Executive Manager Corporate 

Services and the Managing Director— 

ensure engagement and leadership in WHS 

management; establish WHS strategic 

objectives and targets in line with the 

requirements of the WHS policy and ensure 

targets are met; and ensure managers have 

been responsible and accountable for their 

areas of responsibility and that they have the 

necessary resources for the identification, 

evaluation and control of hazards 

• the Board—exercise due diligence to ensure 

that the GRDC complies with any duty or 

obligation in the area of WHS; and maintain 

a work environment that is without risks to 

health and safety. 

The framework also includes procedures for 

identifying hazards, identifying and managing 

risk, and dealing with incidents. 

WHS training requirements have been 

developed for the induction of new staff and 

for periodic WHS training for staff in various 

categories of jobs (for example, office work 

or field work), including training on WHS 

requirements for travel. 

Table 30 outlines measures that the GRDC 

implemented to promote a safe workplace for 

healthy staff.

Table 30: GRDC work health and safety performance in 2011–12 

Indicators 

Health and wellbeing initiatives 

Training and awareness of work 

health and safety (WHS) requirements 

Improved internal security 

arrangements 

Workplace facilities maintained to a 

high standard 

Statistics of any accidents or 

dangerous incidents 

Investigations conducted, including 

notices given 

Performance 

The GRDC offered to staff, free of charge: 

• flu vaccinations (annually) 

• fresh fruit (daily) 

• opportunities to participate in health promotion and fitness programs 

(such as the Global Corporate Challenge) 

• counselling, for staff members and members of their families, through its 

Employee Assistance Program. 

Important activities included: 

• induction information for new staff members on WHS and the importance 

given to health and wellbeing by the GRDC 

• training on emergency procedures, for new staff 

• building evacuation and fire drill training, for all staff 

• senior first aid training, for four staff members 

• defensive driver training for all new staff who will be frequently required to drive 

as part of their role 

• a presentation about the Employee Assistance Program 

• wellness seminars. 

The WHS Committee was implemented, and the GRDC’s WHS policies were 

reviewed and extended. 

Compliance with the Protective Security Manual continued to be implemented 

in stages. 

The internal alarm system was tested and found to be working well. 

Activities to ensure that facilities were well maintained included: 

• twice-yearly inspection of fire extinguishers 

• annual checking and restocking of the first aid kit 

• annual checking and tagging of electrical leads and power cords 

• an annual radiation check of microwave ovens 

• regular inspection of smoke detectors 

• regular cleaning of carpets. 

There were four incidents and one near miss during 2011–12. Three incidents 

were of a psychological nature and one was a trip; the near miss was in the 

fall category. 

The GRDC took action by implementing engineering control measures 

(for the trip) as well as elimination (for the near miss) and use of the 

Employee Assistance Program. 

One investigation was conducted, related to a psychological incident. 

No directions or notices were given to the GRDC. 

105 


Photo by Arthur Mostead

Financial Statements 

Independent auditor’s report 108 

Statement by directors and 

chief financial officer 110 

Statement of comprehensive 

income 111 

Balance sheet 112 

Statement of changes in equity 113 

Cash flow statement 114 

Schedule of commitments 115 

Notes to and forming part of the 

financial statements 116

Independent auditor’s report 

108 


GRDC Annual Report 2011–2012

109 

GRDC Annual Report 2011–2012 Financial Statements

Statement by directors and chief financial officer 

110 


GRDC Annual Report 2011–2012

Statement of comprehensive income 

for the period ended 30 June 2012 

Notes 


$’000 


$’000 

EXPENSES 

Employee benefits 3A 7,219 6,867 

Research and Development 3B 150,231 140,660 

Supplier expense 3C 6,697 5,753 

Depreciation and amortisation 3D 381 402 

Write-down and impairment of assets 3E 535 369 

Total expenses 165,063 154,051 

LESS: 

OWN-SOURCE INCOME 

Own-source revenue 

Interest 4A 13,197 7,219 

Industry contributions 4B 97,714 104,496 

Project refunds 4C 1,380 899 

Royalties 4D 4,900 2,961 

Grants income 4E 3,104 5,987 

Other 4F 402 573 

Total own-source revenue 120,697 122,135 

Gains 

Gain-investments 4G 904 - 

Total gains 904 - 

Total own-source income 121,601 122,135 

Net cost of services 43,462 31,916 

Revenue from Government 4H 55,935 53,397 

Share of (deficit) of associates and joint ventures 

accounted for using the equity method 5C (156) (659) 

Surplus attributable to the Australian Government 12,317 20,822 

111 

GRDC Annual Report 2011–2012 Financial Statements 

OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME 

Changes in asset revaluation surplus 6B 597 (45) 

Total other comprehensive income 597 (45) 

Total comprehensive income 12,914 20,777 

Total comprehensive income attributable to the Australian 

Government 12,914 20,777 

The above statement should be read in conjunction with the accompanying notes.

Balance sheet 

As at 30 June 2012 

Notes 


$’000 


$’000 




ASSETS 

Financial assets 

Cash and cash equivalents 5A 77,860 50,249 

Trade and other receivables 5B 24,072 23,834 

Investments accounted for using the equity method 5C 114 126 

Investments in managed funds 5D 113,767 117,866 

Investments—other 5E 8,107 7,533 

Total financial assets 223,920 199,608 

Non-financial assets 

Land and buildings 6A,C 5,900 5,498 

Infrastructure, plant and equipment 6B,C 256 242 

Intangibles 6D,E 245 267 

Other 6F 355 392 

Total non-financial assets 6,756 6,399 

Total assets 230,676 206,007 

LIABILITIES 

Payables 

Suppliers 7A 602 1,038 

Research and development 7B 66,187 54,395 

Total payables 66,789 55,433 

Provisions 

Employee provisions 8A 1,658 1,259 

Total payables 1,658 1,259 

Total liabilities 68,447 56,692 

Net assets 162,229 149,315 

EQUITY 

Retained surplus 69,936 64,069 

Asset revaluation surplus 3,913 3,316 

Capital commitment reserve - 200 

Contracted research reserve 88,380 81,730 

Total equity 162,229 149,315 


Statement of changes in equity 


Capital commitment 

reserve Total equity 

Contracted 

research reserve 

Asset revaluation 

surplus 

Retained surplus 


$’000 


$’000 


$’000 


$’000 


$’000 


$’000 


$’000 


$’000 


$’000 


$’000 

Opening balance 

Balance carried forward from previous period 64,069 55,683 3,316 3,361 81,730 69,312 200 182 149,315 128,538 

Adjusted opening balance 64,069 55,683 3,316 3,361 81,730 69,312 200 182 149,315 128,538 

Comprehensive income 

Other comprehensive income - - 597 (45) - - - - 597 (45) 

Surplus for the period 12,317 20,822 - - - - - - 12,317 20,822 

Total comprehensive income 12,317 20,822 597 (45) - - - - 12,914 20,777 

Transfers between equity components (6,450) (12,436) - - 6,650 12,418 (200) 18 - - 

Closing balance as at 30 June 69,936 64,069 3,913 3,316 88,380 81,730 - 200 162,229 149,315 

The above statement should be read in conjunction with the accompanying notes. 

113 


Cash flow statement 


Notes 


$’000 


$’000 

114 



OPERATING ACTIVITIES 

Cash received 

Industry contributions 97,725 104,426 

Commonwealth contributions 55,892 43,728 

Interest 10,532 6,950 

Grants income 4,502 5,115 

Other 8,079 5,456 

Total cash received 176,730 165,675 

Cash used 

Research and development 138,961 130,690 

Employees 7,187 6,839 

Suppliers 6,777 6,730 

Net GST paid 2,418 2,352 

Total cash used 155,343 146,611 

Net cash from operating activities 9 21,387 19,064 

INVESTING ACTIVITIES 

Cash received 

Investments 14,000 3,000 

Total cash received 14,000 3,000 

Cash used 

Purchase of property, plant and equipment 178 189 

Investments 7,247 5,290 

Shares 351 241 

Total cash used 7,776 5,720 

Net cash from (used by) investing activities 6,224 (2,720) 

Net increase in cash held 27,611 16,344 

Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the reporting period 50,249 33,905 

Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the reporting period 5A 77,860 50,249 


Schedule of commitments 

as at 30 June 2012 


$’000 


$’000 

BY TYPE 

Commitments receivable 

GST recoverable on commitments (18,601) (19,421) 

Total commitments receivable (18,601) (19,421) 

Commitments payable 

Capital commitments 

Investments 1 - 200 

Total capital commitments - 200 

Other commitments 

Operating leases 2 268 266 

Research projects forward program 3 204,340 213,360 

Total other commitments 204,608 213,626 

Net commitments by type 186,007 194,405 

BY MATURITY 

Commitments receivable 

One year or less (8,006) (9,139) 

From one year to five years (10,595) (10,282) 

Over five years - - 

Total commitments receivable (18,601) (19,421) 

Commitments payable 

Capital commitments 

One year or less - 200 

From one year to five years - - 

Total capital commitments - 200 

Research project commitments 

One year or less 87,896 100,360 

From one year to five years 116,444 113,000 


Research projects commitments 204,340 213,360 

115 


Operating lease commitments 

One year or less 171 171 

From one year to five years 97 95 


Total operating lease commitments 268 266 

Total commitments payable 204,608 213,826 

Net commitments by maturity 186,007 194,405 

Note: Commitments are GST inclusive where relevant. 

1 The nature of capital commitments relates to share purchases. 

2 Operating leases comprise: 

Nature of the lease 

Motor vehicles—staff 

Franking machine 

General description of leasing arrangement 

Leased as part of salary packages 

No contingent rentals exist 

A rental agreement for a period of 5 years exists for the franking machine, after this time it is usually 

replaced with new rental equipment 

3 Research project forward program commitments are amounts payable in respect of contracted Research Agreements held between 

the GRDC and research providers as at 30 June 2012. 


Notes to and forming part of the financial statements 

for the year ended 30 June 2012 

Note 1: Summary of Significant Accounting Policies 

116 



1.1 Objective of the GRDC 

The Grains Research and Development Corporation (the Corporation) is an Australian Government controlled entity, 

established in 1990 as a statutory corporation under the Primary Industries and Energy Research and Development 

Act 1989. It is a not-for-profit entity. The primary objective of the Corporation is to support effective competition by 

Australian grain growers in global grain markets, through enhanced profitability and sustainability. By strategically 

investing in research and development (R&D) and the delivery of R&D outputs, the Corporation works to achieve 

one outcome: 

Outcome 1—New information and products that enhance the productivity, competitiveness and environmental 

sustainability of Australian grain growers and benefit the industry and wider community, through planning, managing 

and implementing investments in grains research and development. 

The continued existence of the Corporation in its present form and with its present programs is dependent on 

Government policy. 

1.2 Basis of Preparation of the Financial Statements 

The financial statements are general purpose financial statements and are required by clause 1(b) of Schedule 1 to the 

Commonwealth Authorities and Companies Act 1997. 

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with: 

(a) Finance Minister’s Orders (FMOs) for reporting periods ending on or after 1 July 2011; and 

(b) Australian Accounting Standards and Interpretations issued by the Australian Accounting Standards Board 

(AASB) that apply for the reporting period. 

The financial statements have been prepared on an accrual basis and in accordance with historical cost convention, 

except for certain assets and liabilities at fair value. Except where stated, no allowance is made for the effect of 

changing prices on the results or the financial position. 

The financial statements are presented in Australian dollars and values are rounded to the nearest thousand dollars 

unless otherwise specified. 

Unless an alternative treatment is specifically required by an accounting standard or the FMOs, assets and liabilities 

are recognised in the balance sheet when and only when it is probable that future economic benefits will flow to the 

Corporation or a future sacrifice of economic benefits will be required and the amounts of the assets or liabilities can be 

reliably measured. However, assets and liabilities arising under executor contracts are not recognised unless required by 

an accounting standard. Liabilities and assets that are unrecognised are reported in the Schedule of Commitments. 

Unless alternative treatment is specifically required by an accounting standard, income and expenses are recognised in 

the Statement of Comprehensive Income when, and only when, the flow, consumption or loss of economic benefits has 

occurred and can be reliably measured. 

1.3 Significant Accounting Judgements and Estimates 

In the process of applying the accounting policies listed in this note, the Corporation has made the following estimates 

that have the most significant impact on the amounts recorded in the financial statements: 

(a) The valuation of unlisted shares held by the Corporation (as detailed in note 1.10) at each balance date is 

equivalent to the Corporation’s share of net assets of each company. 

No other accounting assumptions or estimates have been identified that have a significant risk of causing material 

adjustment to carrying amounts of assets and liabilities within the next reporting period.

Note 1: Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (continued) 

1.4 New Australian Accounting Standards 

Adoption of new Australian Accounting Standard Requirements 

No accounting standard has been adopted earlier than the application date as stated in the standard. 

The following new standards, revised standards, interpretations and amendments to standards were issued prior to the 

sign-off date, were applicable to the current reporting period and had a financial impact on the Corporation: 

Standard/Interpretation 

AASB 124 Related Party Disclosures—December 2009 

(Principal) 

AASB 1054 

Australian Additional Disclosures—December 

2009 (Principal) 

Impact on the Corporation 

Reduced disclosure requirements for 

government-related entities 

Minimal impact on financial statements 

Other new standards, revised standards, interpretations and amendments to standards that were issued prior to the 

sign-off date and are applicable to the current reporting period did not have a financial impact, and are not expected to 

have a future financial impact on the Corporation. 

Future Australian Accounting Standard Requirements 

The following new standards, revised standards, interpretations and amendments to standards were issued by the 

Australian Accounting Standards Board prior to the sign-off date, which are expected to have a financial impact on the 

Corporation for future reporting periods: 

Standard/Interpretation 

AASB 9 Financial Instruments—December 2010 

(Principal) 

AASB119 Employee Entitlements—September 2011 

(Principal) 

Impact on the Corporation 

Changes to presentation, however, no 

significant impact on financial statements 

Changes may impact accounting treatment and 

disclosure requirements 

Other new standards, revised standards, interpretations and amendments to standards that were issued prior to 

the sign-off date and are applicable to future reporting periods are not expected to have a future financial impact on 

the Corporation. 

1.5 Revenue 

The revenues described in this note are revenues relating to the core activities of the Corporation. 

Revenue from Government 

Revenue paid to the Corporation under Section 32 of the Primary Industries and Energy Research and Development 

Act 1989, representing 0.5% of the three-year moving average of gross value of production of grains, is for the purpose 

of funding research and development activities. Revenues from Government are recognised when they are entitled to be 

received by the Corporation. 

Funding received or receivable from agencies (appropriated to the agency as a CAC Act body payment item for 

payment to the Corporation) is recognised as Revenue from Government by the Corporation unless the funding is in the 

nature of an equity injection or loan. 

117 


Industry contributions 

Revenue paid to the Corporation under Section 30 of the Primary Industries and Energy Research and Development 

Act 1989, where a research levy is attached to grain producers’ output, is for the purpose of providing funds for 

research and development. Industry contributions are recognised when they are entitled to be received by the 

Corporation. 

Interest revenue 

Interest revenue is recognised using the effective interest method as set out in AASB 139 Financial Instruments: 

Recognition and Measurement.


1.5 Revenue (continued) 

Project refunds 

Project refunds are recognised upon receipt of the refund when it relates to prior years expenditure and when the funds 

accrued are not required for the completion of the project. 

Royalties 

Royalties are recognised when the royalty is entitled to be received by the Corporation. 

Grants income 

Grants income is revenue paid to the Corporation for the purpose of funding specific research and development 

projects. Grants and other non-reciprocal contributions are recognised as revenue when the Corporation obtains 

control over the assets comprising the contributions. Control is normally obtained upon receipt. 

118 



1.6 Gains 

Sale of assets 

Gains from the disposal of assets are recognised when control of the asset has passed to the buyer. 

Gain — Investments 

Gains from a change in the accounting treatment of share investments are recognised at the time the change is 

required to be made (for example, at the time significant influence is lost). 

1.7 Employee Benefits 

Liabilities for ‘short-term employee benefits’ (as defined in AASB 119 Employee Benefits) and termination benefits due 

within twelve months of the end of the reporting period are measured at their nominal amounts. 

The nominal amount is calculated with regard to the rates expected to be paid on settlement of the liability. 

Other long-term benefits are measured as net total of the present value of the defined benefit obligation at the end 

of the reporting period minus the fair value at the end of the reporting period of plan assets (if any) out of which the 

obligations are to be settled directly. 

Leave 

The liability for employee benefits includes provision for annual leave and long service leave. No provision has been 

made for sick leave as all sick leave is non-vesting and the average sick leave taken in future years by employees of the 

Corporation is estimated to be less than the annual entitlement for sick leave. 

The leave liabilities are calculated on the basis of employees’ remuneration at the estimated salary rates that apply at 

the time the leave is taken, including the Corporation’s employer superannuation contribution rates, to the extent that 

the leave is likely to be taken during service rather than paid out on termination. 

The liability for long service leave has been determined by using the Australian Government shorthand method. 

In applying this method, the accrued long service leave for each employee as at reporting date is probability weighted, 

based on the Australian Government probability profile. The amount obtained for each employee is then discounted 

using the ten year Treasury Bond rate. The total estimated liability for the Corporation is the sum of the liabilities for each 

employee. The estimate of the present value of the liability takes into account attrition rates and pay increases through 

promotion and inflation. 

Separation and redundancy 

The Corporation recognises a provision for termination when it has developed a detailed formal plan for the terminations 

and has informed those employees affected that it will carry out the terminations. 

Superannuation 

Staff of the Corporation are members of the Commonwealth Superannuation Scheme (CSS), the Public Sector 

Superannuation Scheme (PSS), the PSS Accumulation Plan (PSSap), the Australian Government Employees 

Superannuation Trust (AGEST) or an approved superannuation scheme of their choice. 

The CSS and PSS are defined benefit schemes for the Australian Government. The PSSap is a defined 

contribution scheme.


1.7 Employee Benefits (continued) 

The liability for defined benefits is recognised in the financial statements of the Australian Government and is settled 

by the Australian Government in due course. This liability is reported by the Department of Finance and Deregulation’s 

administered schedules and notes. 

For CSS and PSS members, the Corporation makes contributions based on the rates determined by an actuary to be 

sufficient to meet the current costs to the Government. The Corporation accounts for the contributions as if they were 

contributions to defined contribution plans. 

For AGEST and other approved superannuation schemes, the Corporation contributes a minimum of 9% of 

superannuable salaries. 

As at 30 June, all superannuation contributions were fully paid, therefore no superannuation liability has been 

recognised (2011: $NIL). 

1.8 Leases 

A distinction is made between finance leases and operating leases. Finance leases effectively transfer from the lessor to 

the lessee substantially all the risks and rewards incidental to ownership of leased assets. An operating lease is a lease 

that is not a finance lease. In operating leases, the lessor effectively retains substantially all such risks and benefits. 

The Corporation has no finance leases. Operating lease payments are expensed on a straight-line basis which is 

representative of the pattern of benefits derived from the leased assets. 

1.9 Cash 

Cash is recognised at its nominal amount. Cash and cash equivalents includes: 

• cash on hand; and 

• demand deposits in bank accounts with an original maturity of 3 months or less that are readily convertible to 

known amounts of cash and subject to insignificant risk of changes in value. 

1.10 Financial Assets 

The Corporation classifies its financial assets in the following categories: 

(a) financial assets at fair value through profit or loss; 

(b) held-to-maturity investments; 

(c) available-for-sale financial assets; and 

(d) loans and receivables. 

The classification depends on the nature and purpose of the financial assets and is determined at the time of initial 

recognition. Financial assets are recognised and derecognised upon trade date. 

119 


Effective interest method 

The effective interest method is a method of calculating the amortised cost of a financial asset and of allocating interest 

income over the relevant period. The effective interest rate is the rate that exactly discounts estimated future cash 

receipts through the expected life of the financial asset, or, where appropriate, a shorter period. 

Income is recognised on an effective interest rate basis except for financial assets at fair value through profit or loss. 

Financial assets at fair value through profit or loss 

Financial assets are classified as financial assets at fair value through profit or loss where the financial assets: 

(a) have been acquired principally for the purpose of selling in the near future; 

(b) are derivatives that are not designated and effective as a hedging instrument; or 

(c) are parts of an identified portfolio of financial instruments that the Corporation manages together and has 

a recent actual pattern of short-term profit-taking. 

Assets in this category are classified as current assets. 

Financial assets at fair value through profit or loss are stated at fair value, with any resultant gain or loss recognised in 

profit or loss. The net gain or loss recognised in profit or loss incorporates any interest earned on the financial asset. 

Interest earned on financial assets at FVPL is included in note 4A.


1.10 Financial Assets (continued) 

Available-for-sale financial assets 

Available-for-sale financial assets are non-derivatives that are either designated in this category or not classified in any of 

the other categories. 

Available-for-sale financial assets are recorded at fair value. Gains and losses arising from changes in fair value are 

recognised directly in reserves (equity) with the exception of impairment losses. Interest is calculated using the effective 

interest method and foreign exchange gains and losses on monetary assets are recognised directly in profit or loss. 

Where the asset is disposed of or is determined to be impaired, part (or all) of the cumulative gain or loss previously 

recognised in the reserve is included in surplus or deficit for the period. 

Where a reliable fair value cannot be established for unlisted investments in equity instruments, cost is used. 

The Corporation has acquired shares in the following unlisted companies: 




• Australian Grain Technologies Pty Ltd (holding: 39.11%); 

• Australian Centre for Plant Functional Genomics Pty Ltd (holding: 18.54%); 

• Arista Cereal Technologies Pty Ltd (holding: 21.43%); 

• InterGrain Pty Ltd (holding: 27.42%); 

• Canola Breeders Western Australia Pty Ltd (holding: 39.25%); and 

• HRZ Wheats Pty Ltd (holding: 18.16%) 

The above companies conduct research and development activities relating to seed technology, new wheat varieties, 

high amylose wheat and the development of canola varieties. The success and ability to generate future economic 

benefits are subject to uncertainty and the Corporation believes that this will impair the carrying values of the 

investments. 

The Corporation has established a provision for diminution in share value to record a reduction in the value of each 

of these investments based on the Corporation’s estimate of the trading performance of each company. A review 

of the trading performances will be done annually and the provisions adjusted accordingly. The provision for each 

investment is disclosed at note 5E. The provision will remain effective until such time as the Corporation believes that 

the investment would generate sufficient future economic benefits from a successfully marketed product or service and 

an active market for the investment exists. The investment would then be measured at fair value. 

Held-to-maturity investments 

Non-derivative financial assets with fixed or determinable payments and fixed maturity dates that the Corporation 

has the positive intent and ability to hold to maturity are classified as held-to-maturity investments. Held-to-maturity 

investments are recorded at amortised cost using the effective interest method less impairment, with revenue 

recognised on an effective yield basis. 

Loans and receivables 

Trade receivables, loans and other receivables that have fixed or determinable payments that are not quoted in an 

active market are classified as ‘loans and receivables’. Loans and receivables are measured at amortised cost using the 

effective interest method less impairment. Interest is recognised by applying the effective interest rate. 

Impairment of financial assets 

Financial assets are assessed for impairment at the end of each reporting period. 

Financial assets held at amortised cost—if there is objective evidence that an impairment loss has been incurred for 

loans and receivables or held-to-maturity investments held at amortised cost, the amount of the loss is measured as 

the difference between the asset’s carrying amount and the present value of estimated future cash flows discounted at 

the asset’s original effective interest rate. The carrying amount is reduced by way of an allowance account. The loss is 

recognised in the Statement of Comprehensive Income. 

Available-for-sale financial assets—if there is objective evidence that an impairment loss on an available-for-sale financial 

asset has been incurred, the amount of the difference between its cost, less principal repayments and amortisation, 

and its current fair value, less any impairment loss previously recognised in expenses, is transferred from equity to the 

Statement of Comprehensive Income. 

Financial assets held at cost—if there is objective evidence that an impairment loss has been incurred, the amount of 

the impairment loss is the difference between the carrying amount of the asset and the present value of the estimated 

future cash flows discounted at the current market rate for similar assets.


1.11 Investments in Associates 

The Corporation’s investments in its associates are accounted for using the equity method. 

Under the equity method, investments in associates are carried in the Corporation’s balance sheet at cost as adjusted 

for post-acquisition changes in the Corporation’s share of net assets of the associates. Goodwill relating to an associate 

is included in the carrying amount of the investment. After the application of the equity method, the Corporation 

determines whether it is necessary to recognise any impairment loss with respect to the net investment in associates. 

1.12 Financial Liabilities 

Financial liabilities are classified as either financial liabilities at ‘fair value through profit or loss’ or other financial liabilities. 

Financial liabilities are recognised and derecognised upon ‘trade date’. 

Financial liabilities at fair value through profit or loss 

Financial liabilities at fair value through profit or loss are initially measured at fair value. Subsequent fair value 

adjustments are recognised in profit or loss. The net gain or loss recognised in profit or loss incorporates any interest 

paid on the financial liability. 


Other financial liabilities 

Other financial liabilities, including borrowings, are initially measured at fair value, net of transaction costs. 

These liabilities are subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method, with interest 

expense recognised on an effective yield basis. 

The effective interest method is a method of calculating the amortised cost of a financial liability and of allocating interest 

expense over the relevant period. The effective interest rate is the rate that exactly discounts estimated future cash 

payments through the expected life of the financial liability, or, where appropriate, a shorter period. 

Supplier and other payables are recognised at amortised cost. Liabilities are recognised to the extent that the goods or 

services have been received (and irrespective of having been invoiced). 

1.13 Contingent Liabilities and Contingent Assets 

Contingent liabilities and contingent assets are not recognised in the Balance Sheet but are reported in the relevant 

schedules and notes. They may arise from uncertainty as to the existence of a liability or asset, or represent an asset or 

liability in respect of which the amount cannot be reliably measured. Contingent assets are disclosed when settlement is 

probable but not virtually certain and contingent liabilities are disclosed when settlement is greater than remote. 

As at 30 June 2012 the Corporation held no contingent liabilities or contingent assets. 

1.14 Acquisition of Assets 

Assets are recorded at cost on acquisition except as stated below. The cost of acquisition includes the fair value 

of assets transferred in exchange and liabilities undertaken. Financial assets (with the exception of investments in 

equity instruments that do not have a quoted market price in an active market and whose fair value cannot be reliably 

measured) are initially measured at their fair value plus transaction costs where appropriate. 

Assets acquired at no cost, or for nominal consideration, are initially recognised as assets and income at their fair value 

at the date of acquisition. 


1.15 Property, Plant and Equipment 

Asset recognition threshold 

Purchases of property, plant and equipment are recognised initially at cost in the Balance Sheet, except for purchases 

costing less than $2,000, which are expensed in the year of acquisition (other than where they form part of a group of 

similar items which are significant in total). 

The initial cost of an asset includes an estimate of the cost of dismantling and removing the item and restoring the site 

on which it is located.


1.15 Property, Plant and Equipment (continued) 

Revaluations 

Fair values for each class of asset are determined as shown below: 

Asset Class 

Land 

Building 

Infrastructure, plant and equipment 

Fair Value Measured at: 

Market selling price 




Following initial recognition at cost, property, plant and equipment were carried at fair value less subsequent 

accumulated depreciation and accumulated impairment losses. Valuations were conducted with sufficient frequency 

to ensure that the carrying amounts of assets do not differ materially from the assets’ fair values as at the reporting 

date. The regularity of independent valuations depended upon the volatility of movements in market values for the 

relevant assets. 



Revaluation adjustments are made on a class basis. Any revaluation increment was credited to equity under the 

heading of asset revaluation reserve except to the extent that it reverses a previous revaluation decrement of the same 

asset class that was previously recognised in the surplus/deficit. Revaluation decrements for a class of assets were 

recognised directly in the surplus/deficit except to the extent that they reverse a previous revaluation increment for 

that class. 

Any accumulated depreciation as at the revaluation date is eliminated against the gross carrying amount of the asset 

and the asset restated to the revalued amount. 

Depreciation 

Depreciable property, plant and equipment assets are written-off to their estimated residual values over their estimated 

useful lives to the Corporation using, in all cases, the straight-line method of depreciation. 

Depreciation rates (useful lives), residual values and methods are reviewed at each reporting date and necessary 

adjustments are recognised in the current, or current and future reporting periods, as appropriate. 

Depreciation rates applying to each class of depreciable asset are based on the following useful lives: 

2012 2011 

Buildings on leasehold land 25 years 25 years 

Other infrastructure, plant & equipment 3 to 12 years 3 to 12 years 

Assets purchased with research payments 

Assets purchased with research payments may revert to the Corporation at the end of the research project period and 

will be accounted for appropriately at that date. During the financial year no research assets reverted to the Corporation 

(2011: $NIL). 

Impairment 

All assets were assessed for impairment at 30 June 2012. Where indications of impairment exist, the asset’s 

recoverable amount is estimated and an impairment adjustment made if the asset’s recoverable amount is less that its 

carrying amount. 

The recoverable amount of an asset is the higher of its fair value less costs to sell and its value in use. Value in use is the 

present value of the future cash flows expected to be derived from the asset. Where the future economic benefit of an 

asset is not primarily dependent on the asset’s ability to generate future cash flows, and the asset would be replaced if 

the Corporation were deprived of the asset, its value in use is taken to be its depreciated replacement cost. 

Derecognition 

An item of property, plant and equipment is derecognised upon disposal or when no further economic benefits are 

expected from its use or disposal.


1.16 Intangibles 

The Corporation’s intangibles comprise software for internal use and development costs. 

Software 

Software is carried at cost less accumulated amortisation and accumulated impairment losses. 

Software is amortised on a straight-line basis over its anticipated useful life as follows: 


Information management system 2.5 years 2.5 years 

Other software 4 years 4 years 

Development costs 

Research costs are expensed when incurred. An intangible asset arising from development expenditure is only 

recognised when technical feasibility studies identify that the expenditure will deliver future economic benefits and these 

benefits can be measured reliably. Other development expenditure is recognised in the Statement of Comprehensive 

Income as an expense when incurred. 

Following initial recognition of development expenditure, the cost model is applied requiring the asset to be carried at 

cost less any accumulated amortisation and accumulated impairment losses. 

All intangible assets were assessed for indications of impairment as at 30 June 2012. 

1.17 Taxation 

The Corporation is exempt from all forms of taxation except Fringe Benefits Tax (FBT) and the Goods and Services 

Tax (GST). 

Revenues, expenses and assets are recognised net of GST except: 

(a) where the amount of GST incurred is not recoverable from the Australian Taxation Office; and 

(b) for receivables and payables. 

Note 2: Events After the Reporting Period 

There was no subsequent event that had the potential to significantly affect the ongoing structure and financial activities 

of the Corporation. 

Note 3: Expenses 




$’000 


$’000 

3A—Employee Benefits 

Salaries and wages 5,871 5,900 

Superannuation 

Defined contribution plans 660 709 

Defined benefits plans 124 76 

Leave and other entitlements 399 27 

Separation and redundancies 165 155 

Total employee benefits 7,219 6,867

Note 3: Expenses (continued) 

3B—Research and Development 


Crosscommodity 

$’000 

Coarse 

grains 

$’000 

Grain 

legumes 

$’000 

Oilseeds 

$’000 

Wheat 

$’000 

Total 

$’000 

National 91,259 290 956 545 2,681 95,731 

Northern Region 12,672 - 507 - 844 14,023 

Southern Region 24,162 1,800 10 450 314 26,736 

Western Region 12,366 - 500 425 450 13,741 

TOTAL 140,459 2,090 1,973 1,420 4,289 150,231 




2011 116,185 4,987 10,447 2,182 6,859 140,660 

The aforementioned classification of national and regional payments is usually based on investment recommendations by the 

three Regional Panels and the National Panel. The project outcomes may, however, have impacts across one or more regions. 

3C—Suppliers 

Goods and services 


$’000 


$’000 

Staff travel and accommodation 1,097 1,108 

Consultants 30 55 

Panel expenses 1,959 1,089 

Program team expenses 17 418 

Communications 65 97 

Corporate governance 210 299 

Corporate services 1,927 1,387 

Legal and procurement 222 227 

Levy collection costs 645 599 

Other 522 443 

Total goods and services 6,694 5,722 

Goods and services are made up of: 

Provision of goods—external parties 117 111 

Rendering of services—external parties 6,577 5,611 

Total goods and services 6,694 5,722 

Other supplier expenses 

Operating lease rentals—external parties 

Minimum lease payments 3 31 

Total other supplier expenses 3 31 

Total supplier expenses 6,697 5,753

Note 3: Expenses (continued) 


$’000 


$’000 

3D—Depreciation and Amortisation 

Depreciation: 

Property, plant and equipment 82 107 

Buildings 195 196 

Total depreciation 277 303 

Amortisation: 

Intangibles: 

Information Management System 13 14 

Software 91 85 

Total amortisation 104 99 

Total depreciation and amortisation 381 402 

3E—Write-down and Impairment of Assets 

Asset write-downs and impairments from: 

Investments (shares)—revaluation decrement 535 369 

Total write-down and impairment of assets 535 369 

Note 4: Income 

OWN-SOURCE REVENUE 

Note 4A—Interest 


$’000 


$’000 

Deposits 10,848 7,364 

Management fee (305) (309) 

Revaluation of investments 2,654 164 



Total interest 13,197 7,219 

Note 4B—Industry Contributions 

Coarse grains 19,550 18,509 

Grain legumes 7,376 8,277 

Oilseeds 16,841 13,794 

Wheat 53,947 63,916 

Total industry contributions 97,714 104,496 

Note 4C—Project Refunds 

Cross commodity 1,038 687 

Coarse grains 3 119 

Grain legumes - 7 

Oilseeds 5 77 

Wheat 334 9 

Total project refunds 1,380 899

Note 4: Income (continued) 


$’000 


$’000 

Note 4D—Royalties 

Coarse grains 1,428 542 

Grain legumes 497 481 

Oilseeds 396 381 

Wheat 1,974 1,545 

Other 605 12 

Total royalties 4,900 2,961 




Note 4E—Grants Income 

Commonwealth 2,664 5,483 

Industry 440 504 

Total grants income 3,104 5,987 

Note 4F—Other Revenue 

Levy penalties 95 97 

Groundcover advertising income 230 218 

Publications revenue - 46 

Other income 77 212 

Total other revenue 402 573 

GAINS 

Note 4G—Gain-Investments 

Gain on change in accounting treatment of share investment 904 - 

904 - 

REVENUE FROM GOVERNMENT 

Note 4H—Revenue from Government 

Commonwealth contributions 55,935 53,397 

Total revenue from Government 55,935 53,397 

Note 5: Financial Assets 


$’000 


$’000 

5A—Cash and Cash Equivalents 

Interest bearing cheque account 575 460 

Money market call account 65,949 38,949 

Business online saver account 11,336 10,840 

Total cash and cash equivalents 77,860 50,249

Note 5: Financial Assets (continued) 


$’000 


$’000 

5B—Trade and Other Receivables 

Goods and services 

Goods and services—related entities 16,028 15,996 

Goods and services—external parties 1,097 2,117 

Total receivables for goods and services 17,125 18,113 

Other receivables 

GST receivable from the Australian Taxation Office 6,947 5,721 

Total other receivables 6,947 5,721 

Total trade and other receivables 24,072 23,834 


Receivables are aged as follows: 

Not overdue 23,656 22,762 

Overdue by: 

0 to 30 days 115 1,040 

31 to 60 days - 5 

61 to 90 days - - 

more than 90 days 301 27 

416 1,072 

Total receivables 24,072 23,834 

All receivables are expected to be recovered in no more than 12 months. 

No indicators of impairment were found for trade and other receivables. 

5C—Investments Accounted for Using the Equity Method 

Investments in associates: 

Novozymes Biologicals Australia Pty Ltd 114 71 

HRZ Wheats Pty Ltd 1 - 55 

Total equity accounted investments 114 126 


All such investments are expected to be recovered in more than 12 months. 

1. During the reporting period, the Corporation ceased to have significant influence over HRZ Wheats Pty Ltd. Accordingly, 

the Corporation has changed the accounting treatment for this investment and it is now accounted for in accordance 

with AASB 139 Financial Instruments: Recognition and Measurement. The resultant gain from the change in accounting 

treatment has been disclosed at Note 4G. 

Details of investments accounted for using the equity method 

Name of entity Principal activity Reporting date 

Novozymes Biologicals 

Australia Pty Ltd* 

HRZ Wheats Pty Ltd* 

* Incorporated in Australia 

Soil inoculant research and 

development 

Wheat breeding and 

commercialisation 

Ownership 


% 


% 

30 September 50.0 50.0 

30 June - 36.3


Summarised financial information of associates: 


$’000 


$’000 

Balance sheet 

Assets 907 1,070 

Liabilities (678) (777) 

Net assets 229 293 



Statement of comprehensive income 

Income 385 643 

Expenses (707) (2,610) 

Net (deficit) (322) (1,967) 

Share of associates’ net (deficit) 

Share of net (deficit) before tax (156) (659) 

Income tax expense - - 

Share of associates’ net (deficit) after tax (156) (659) 

5D—Investments in Managed Funds 

BT Individually Managed Fund 57,174 59,051 

At market value 

UBS Individually Managed Fund 56,593 58,815 

At market value 

Total investments 113,767 117,866 


Individually managed funds 

The funds are available at call. Interest rates will vary to reflect varying market interest rates. 

Ministerial approval 

The Corporation has received approval under paragraph 18(3)(d) of the CAC Act to hold the investments listed above. 


$’000 


$’000 

5E—Investments—Other 

Shares in unlisted companies 

Australian Grain Technologies Pty Ltd 11,386 11,386 

Provision for diminution in share value (7,171) (7,171) 

4,215 4,215 

Australian Centre for Plant Functional Genomics Pty Ltd 21 21 

Provision for diminution in share value (8) - 

13 21 

Arista Cereal Technologies Pty Ltd 3,200 3,200 


1,210 1,448 

InterGrain Pty Ltd 7,200 7,200 


1,808 1,808



$’000 


$’000 

5E—Investments—Other (continued) 

Canola Breeders Western Australia Pty Ltd 950 800 

Provision for diminution in share value (950) (759) 

- 41 

HRZ Wheats Pty Ltd 1,499 - 

Provision for diminution in share value (638) - 

861 - 

Total Investments—Other 8,107 7,533 

The shares held are ordinary shares. 

All such investments are expected to be recovered in more than 12 months. 

Note 6: Non-Financial Assets 

6A—Land and Buildings 


$’000 


$’000 

Leasehold land—fair value 1,000 1,000 

Total land 1,000 1,000 

Buildings on leasehold land—fair value 4,900 4,890 

Accumulated depreciation - (392) 

Total buildings 4,900 4,498 

Total land and buildings 5,900 5,498 

No indicators of impairment were found for land and buildings. 

No land and buildings were expected to be sold or disposed of within the next 12 months. 

6B—Property, Plant and Equipment 

Property, plant and equipment—fair value 338 242 

Accumulated depreciation (82) - 

Total property, plant and equipment 256 242 



Movement in asset revaluation reserve 

Increment for buildings 597 - 

Decrement for property, plant and equipment - (45) 

Total movement in asset revaluation reserve 597 (45) 

No indicators of impairment were found for property, plant and equipment. 

No property, plant or equipment is expected to be sold or disposed of within the next 12 months. 

Revaluation of non-financial assets 

All revaluations were conducted in accordance with the revaluation policy stated at Note 1. 

No revaluation decrements were expensed during the year (2011: $NIL). 

An independent valuer, the Australian Valuation Office, conducted a formal revaluation of land and buildings as at 30 June 2012. 

A formal revaluation of property, plant and equipment was conducted by the Australian Valuation Office as at 30 June 2011. 

It has been assessed that the carrying amount of property, plant and equipment does not materially differ from fair value at 

30 June 2012.

Note 6: Non-Financial Assets (continued) 

6C—Reconciliation of the Opening and Closing Balances of Property, Plant and Equipment 2012 

Leasehold 

Land 

$’000 

Buildings 

on 

Leasehold 

Land 

$’000 

Other 

Property, 

Plant & 

Equipment 

$’000 

Total 

$’000 

As at 1 July 2011 

Gross book value 1,000 4,890 242 6,132 

Accumulated depreciation and impairment - (392) - (392) 

Net book value 1 July 2010 1,000 4,498 242 5,740 

130 

Additions: 

By purchase - - 96 96 



Revaluations and impairment recognised in other 

comprehensive income 

- 597 - 597 

Depreciation expense - (195) (82) (277) 

Disposals: 

Other disposals - - - - 

Net book value 30 June 2012 1,000 4,900 256 6,156 

Net book value as at 30 June 2012 represented by: 


Accumulated depreciation and impairment losses - - (82) (82) 

Net book value 30 June 2012 1,000 4,900 256 6,156 

6C—Reconciliation of the Opening and Closing Balances of Property, Plant and Equipment 2011 

As at 1 July 2010 


Accumulated depreciation and impairment - (196) (155) (351) 

Net book value 1 July 2010 1,000 4,694 312 6,006 

Additions: 

By purchase - - 82 82 

Revaluations and impairment recognised in other 

comprehensive income 

- - (45) (45) 

Depreciation expense - (196) (107) (303) 

Disposals: 

Other disposals - - - - 

Net book value 30 June 2011 1,000 4,498 242 5,740 

Net book value as at 30 June 2011 represented by: 


Accumulated depreciation and impairment losses - (392) - (392) 

Net book value 30 June 2011 1,000 4,498 242 5,740



$’000 


$’000 

6D—Intangibles 

Information management system—at cost 725 725 

Accumulated amortisation (715) (702) 

Total information management system 10 23 

Software—at cost 516 448 

Accumulated amortisation (394) (303) 

Total software 122 145 

Intellectual property—at cost 113 99 

Accumulated amortisation - - 

Total intellectual property 113 99 

Total intangibles 245 267 

No indicators of impairment were found for intangible assets. 

No intangibles are expected to be sold or disposed of within the next 12 months. 

6E—Reconciliation of the Opening and Closing Balances of Intangibles 2012 

As at 1 July 2011 

Information 

Management 

System 

$’000 

Software 

$’000 

Intellectual 

Property 

$’000 

Total 

$’000 

Gross book value 725 448 99 1,272 

Accumulated amortisation and impairment (702) (303) - (1,005) 

Net book value 1 July 2011 23 145 99 267 

Additions 

By purchase - 68 14 82 

131 


Amortisation expense (13) (91) - (104) 

Net book value 30 June 2012 10 122 113 245 

Net book value as at 30 June 2012 represented by: 



Net book value 30 June 2012 10 122 113 245


6E—Reconciliation of the Opening and Closing Balances of Intangibles 2011 (continued) 

Information 

Management 

System 

$’000 

Software 

$’000 

Intellectual 

Property 

$’000 

Total 

$’000 

As at 1 July 2010 


Accumulated amortisation and impairment (688) (218) - (906) 

Net book value 1 July 2010 8 181 70 259 

132 

Additions 

By purchase 29 49 29 107 



Amortisation expense (14) (85) - (99) 

Net book value 30 June 2011 23 145 99 267 

Net book value as at 30 June 2011 represented by: 



Net book value 30 June 2011 23 145 99 267 

6F—Other Non-Financial Assets 


$’000 


$’000 

Accrued interest 242 230 

Accrued income 83 144 

Prepayments 30 18 

Total other non-financial assets 355 392 

All non-financial assets are expected to be recovered in no more than 12 months. 

No indicators of impairment were found for other non-financial assets. 

Accrued interest 

The interest rates range from 2.95% to 5.07% (2011: 3.47% to 5.21%) and the frequency of payments is monthly. 

Note 7: Payables 


$’000 


$’000 

7A—Suppliers 

Trade creditors—external parties 295 454 

Accrued expenses—external parties 307 584 

Total supplier payables 602 1,038 

All supplier payables are expected to be settled within 12 months. 

Settlement is usually made within 30 days.

Note 7: Payables (continued) 


$’000 


$’000 

7B—Research and Development 

Research and development 66,187 54,395 

Research and development payables are expected to be settled in: 

No more than 12 months 62,103 54,104 

More than 12 months 4,084 291 

Total research and development payables 66,187 54,395 

Note 8: Provisions 

8A—Employee Provisions 


$’000 


$’000 

Leave 1,658 1,259 

Total employee provisions 1,658 1,259 

Employee provisions are expected to be settled in: 

No more than 12 months 1,220 1,091 

More than 12 months 438 168 

Total employee provisions 1,658 1,259 

Note 9: Cash Flow Reconciliation 

Reconciliation of cash and cash equivalents as per Balance Sheet to Cash Flow Statement 

Cash and cash equivalents as per: 

Notes 


$’000 


$’000 

Cash Flow Statement 77,860 50,249 

Balance Sheet 5A 77,860 50,249 

133 


Difference - -

Note 9: Cash Flow Reconciliation (continued) 

Reconciliation of net cost of services to net cash from operating activities: 


$’000 


$’000 

Net cost of services (43,462) (31,916) 

Add revenue from Government 55,935 53,397 

Add share of (deficit) of associates (156) (659) 

134 


Adjustments for non-cash items 

Depreciation/amortisation 381 402 

Net write down of financial assets 535 369 

Share of net loss of associates 156 659 

Revaluation of investments (2,654) (164) 

Gain-investments (904) - 

Changes in assets/liabilities 

(Increase)/decrease in trade and other receivables (27) (11,428) 

(Increase)/decrease in other non-financial assets (11) (1) 

(Increase)/decrease in employee provisions 399 26 

(Increase)/decrease in trade and other payables 11,195 8,379 

Net cash from operating activities 21,387 19,064 

Note 10: Directors’ Remuneration 


The number of non-executive directors of the Corporation included in these figures 

are shown below in the relevant remuneration bands: 


$0 – $29,999 11 - 

$30,000 – $59,999 1 6 

$60,000 – $89,999 1 1 

Total 13 7 

$ $ 

Total remuneration received or due and receivable by directors of the Corporation 269,816 301,090 

Remuneration of executive directors is included in Note 12: Executive Remuneration. 

The directors of the Corporation are appointed by the Minister—Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Australia.

Note 11: Related Party Disclosures 

The following persons were Directors of the Grains Research and Development Corporation during the year: 

Mr Keith Perrett (Chair) 

Ms Nicole Birrell (term finished 30 September 2011) 

Mr Steve Marshall (Deputy Chair, term finished 30 September 2011) 

Prof. Timothy Reeves (term finished 30 September 2011) 

Ms Jennifer Goddard (reappointed 4 November 2011) 

Mr Colin Butcher (term finished 30 September 2011) 

Prof. Graeme Robertson (term finished 30 September 2011) 

Mr Richard Brimblecombe (appointed 4 November 2011) 

Dr Jeremy Burdon (appointed 4 November 2011) 

Mr Kim Halbert (appointed 4 November 2011, Deputy Chair—appointed 10 April 2012) 

Prof. Robert Lewis (appointed 4 November 2011) 

Ms Sharon Starick (appointed 4 November 2011) 

Mr John Woods (appointed 8 March 2012) 

Mr John Harvey (Executive Director) 

Several directors of the Corporation hold directorships with other companies. All transactions between the Corporation and 

companies with a Director common to the Corporation are conducted using commercial and arms-length principles. 

Note 12: Executive Remuneration 

12A—Senior Executive Remuneration Expenses for the Reporting Period 

Short-term employee benefits: 


$ 

Salary 1,101,547 1,296,606 

Annual leave accrued 98,811 118,853 

Performance bonuses 151,514 128,297 

Total short-term employee benefits 1,351,872 1,543,756 

Post-employment benefits: 

Superannuation 149,442 185,148 

Total post-employment benefits 149,442 185,148 


$ 

135 


Other long-term benefits: 

Long service leave 32,691 32,071 

Total other long-term benefits 32,691 32,071 

Termination benefits 99,694 155,250 

Total employment benefits 1,633,699 1,916,225 

Notes 

1. Note 12A is prepared on an accrual basis (therefore the performance bonus expenses disclosed above may differ from the 

cash ‘Bonus Paid’ in Note 12B). 

2. Note 12A excludes acting arrangements and part-year service where total remuneration expensed for a senior executive 

was less than $150,000.

136 



Note 12: Executive Remuneration (continued) 

12B—Average Annual Reportable Remuneration Paid to Substantive Senior Executives During the Reporting Period 


Reportable 

Allowances 4 $ 

Contributed 

Total 

$ 

Bonus Paid 5 $ 

Superannuation 3 $ 


salary 2 $ 

Senior 

Executives 

Average annual reportable remuneration 1 No. 

Total remuneration (including part-time arrangements): 

$180,000 to $209,999 2 145,517 31,710 44 19,758 197,029 

$210,000 to $239,999 2 171,049 26,293 176 23,253 220,771 

$240,000 to $269,999 1 224,539 5,926 - 15,836 246,301 

$300,000 to $329,999 2 268,738 16,718 110 26,747 312,313 

Total 7 




Contributed 

Total 

$ 




salary 2 $ 

Senior 

Executives 


Total remuneration (including part-time arrangements): 

$180,000 to $209,999 3 151,740 17,588 29 21,745 191,102 

$210,000 to $239,999 2 161,401 34,361 110 24,357 220,229 

$240,000 to $269,999 1 194,674 19,896 308 26,393 241,271 

$420,000 to $449,999 1 358,621 41,019 - 43,988 443,628 

Total 7 

Notes 

1. This table reports substantive Senior Executives who received remuneration during the reporting period. Each row is an averaged figure based on headcount for individuals in the band. 

2. ‘Reportable salary’ includes the following: 

(a) gross payments (less any bonuses paid, which are separated out and disclosed in the ‘Bonus Paid’ column); 

(b) reportable fringe benefits (at the net amount prior to ‘grossingup’ to account for tax benefits); and 

(c) exempt foreign employment income. 

3. The ‘contributed superannuation’ amount is the average actual superannuation contributions paid to senior executives in that reportable remuneration band during the reporting period, including any 

salary sacrificed amounts, as per individuals’ payslips. 

4. ‘Reportable allowances’ are the average actual allowances paid as per the ‘total allowances’ line on individuals’ payment summaries. 

5. ‘Bonus Paid’ represents average actual bonuses paid during the reporting period in that reportable remuneration band.The ‘bonus paid’ within a particular band may vary between financial years due to 

various factors such as individuals commencing with or leaving the entity during the financial year. 

6. Various salary sacrifice arrangements were available to senior executives including superannuation, car parking, motor vehicle and expense payment fringe benefits.Salary sacrifice benefits are reported in 

the ‘reportable salary’ column, excluding salary sacrificed superannuation, which is reported in the ‘Contributed Superannuation’ column.

Note 12: Executive Remuneration (continued) 

12C—Other Highly Paid Staff 


Contributed 

Total 

$ 






salary 2 $ 

Staff 


Total remuneration (including part-time arrangements) 

$150,000 to $179,999 6 130,053 24,278 315 6,717 161,363 

Total 6 


Contributed 

Total 

$ 






salary 2 $ 

Staff 


Total remuneration (including part-time arrangements) 

$150,000 to $179,999 3 123,003 30,455 293 13,547 167,298 

Total 3 

Notes 

1. This table reports staff: 

(a) who were employed by the Corporation during the reporting period; 

(b) whose reportable remuneration was $150,000 or more for the financial period; and 

(c) were not required to be disclosed in Tables A, B or director disclosures. 

Each row is an averaged figure based on headcount for individuals in the band. 

2. ‘Reportable salary’ includes the following: 

(a) gross payments (less any bonuses paid, which are separated out and disclosed in the ‘Bonus Paid’ column); 

(b) reportable fringe benefits (at the net amount prior to ‘grossing up’ to account for tax benefits); and 

(c) exempt foreign employment income. 

3. The ‘Contributed Superannuation’ amount is the average actual superannuation contributions paid to staff in that reportable remuneration band during the reporting period, including any 

salary sacrificed amounts, as per individuals’ payslips. 

4. ‘Reportable Allowances’ are the average actual allowances paid as per the ‘total allowances’ line on individuals’ payment summaries. 

5. ‘Bonus Paid’ represents average actual bonuses paid during the reporting period in that reportable remuneration band. The ‘bonus paid’ within a particular band may vary between financial 

years due to various factors such as individuals commencing with or leaving the entity during the financial year. 

6. Various salary sacrifice arrangements were available to other highly paid staff including superannuation, car parking, motor vehicle and expense payment fringe benefits. Salary sacrifice 

benefits are reported in the ‘reportable salary’ column, excluding salary sacrificed superannuation, which is reported in the ‘Contributed Superannuation’ column. 

137 


Note 13: Remuneration of Auditors 

The cost of financial statement audit services provided to the Corporation was: 


$ 


$ 

Australian National Audit Office 26,000 25,300 

No other services were provided by the auditors of the financial statements. 

Note 14: Financial Instruments 

14A—Categories of Financial Instruments 

138 



Financial Assets 

Loans and receivables: 


$’000 


$’000 

Cash and cash equivalents 77,860 50,249 

Trade and other receivables 17,125 18,113 

Total 94,985 68,362 

Available-for-sale: 

Shares in unlisted companies 8,107 7,533 

Total 8,107 7,533 

Fair value through profit or loss (designated): 

Managed funds 113,767 117,866 

Total 113,767 117,866 

Carrying amount of financial assets 216,859 193,761 

Financial Liabilities 

At amortised cost: 

Payables 66,482 54,849 

Total 66,482 54,849 

Carrying amount of financial liabilities 66,482 54,849

Note 14: Financial Instruments (continued) 

Note 14B—Net Income and Expense from Financial Assets 


$’000 


$’000 

Loans and receivables 

Interest revenue (note 4A) 3,296 1,764 

Net gain from loans and receivables 3,296 1,764 

Available-for-sale 

Impairment (note 3E) (535) (369) 

Net (loss) from available-for-sale (535) (369) 

Fair value through profit or loss (designated) 

Interest revenue (note 4A) 9,901 5,455 

Net gain from fair value through profit and loss 9,901 5,455 

Net gain from financial assets 12,662 6,850 

Note 14C—Fair Value of Financial Instruments 

The carrying amount of all financial assets and financial liabilities approximate their fair value. 

Fair value measurements categorised by fair value hierarchy 

The following table provides an analysis of financial instruments that are measured at fair value, by valuation method. 

The different levels are defined below: 

Level 1: fair value obtained from unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical instruments. 

Level 2: fair value derived from inputs other than quoted prices included in Level 1 that are observable for the instrument, 

either directly or indirectly. 

Level 3: fair value derived from inputs that are not based on observable market data. 

Fair value hierarchy for financial assets 

Financial assets at fair value 

Level 1 


$’000 

Level 1 


$’000 

Level 2 


$’000 

Level 2 


$’000 

Level 3 


$’000 

Level 3 


$’000 

Fair value through profit or loss 113,767 117,866 - - - - 

Total 113,767 117,866 - - - - 

139 


There were no transfers between levels (2011: $NIL).


Note 14D—Credit Risk 

140 


The Corporation’s maximum exposure to credit risk at reporting date in relation to each class of recognised financial assets is 

the carrying amount of those assets as indicated in the balance sheet. 

Fair value through profit or loss investments are restricted to securities that are in accordance with paragraphs 18(a)—(d) of the 

CAC Act, including, as a minimum, a Standard and Poor’s long-term rating of A-. Further restrictions are imposed under the 

policies and procedures of the Corporation. The majority of loans and receivables are cash and levies from industry. 

The Corporation manages its credit risk through: 

• A monthly review by management of the Corporation’s investments: 

– to ensure that they are in accordance with section 18 of the CAC Act and the Corporation’s policies and procedures; 

and 

– to assess how the investments are performing against various benchmarks (including the Cash Rate, the 90 Day Bank 

Bill Index and the UBS Government Bond Index 0-5 years); 

• A biannual review by the Finance, Risk and Audit Committee of the performance of the Corporation’s individually managed 

funds in comparison with other managed funds investing in the Australian Bond and Australian Cash sectors; and 

• Policies and procedures that guide employees in managing debtors. 

The Corporation holds no collateral to mitigate against credit risk. 

Credit quality of financial instruments not past due or individually determined as impaired 

Not past due 

nor impaired 


$’000 

Not past due 

nor impaired 


$’000 

Past due or 

impaired 


$’000 

Past due 

or impaired 


$’000 

Cash and cash equivalents 77,860 50,249 - - 

Trade and other receivables 16,709 17,041 416 1,072 

Managed funds 113,767 117,866 - - 

Shares in unlisted companies - 21 8,107 7,512 

Total 208,336 185,177 8,523 8,584 


Ageing of financial assets that are past due but not impaired for 2012 

0 to 30 days 

$’000 

31 to 60 days 

$’000 

61 to 90 days 

$’000 

90+ days 

$’000 

Total 

$’000 

Receivables 115 - - 301 416 

Total 115 - - 301 416 

Ageing of financial assets that are past due but not impaired for 2011 

0 to 30 days 

$’000 

31 to 60 days 

$’000 

61 to 90 days 

$’000 

90+ days 

$’000 

Total 

$’000 

Receivables 1,040 5 - 27 1,072 

Total 1,040 5 - 27 1,072 

The following assets have been individually assessed as impaired: 


$’000 


$’000 

Shares in unlisted companies 8,107 7,512 

Factors that have been considered in assessing the shares as impaired include: 

• the continued uncertainty in the success and ability of the companies to generate future economic benefits; and 

• the decrease in the net assets of the companies.


Note 14E—Liquidity Risk 

The exposure to liquidity risk is based on the notion that the Corporation will encounter difficulty in meeting its obligations 

associated with financial liabilities. 

The Corporation has minimal exposure to liquidity risk. The Corporation receives funding from industry through levies and 

contributions from the Australian Government. In addition, the Corporation has controls in place to ensure that it has adequate 

resources to meet its financial obligations and has no experience of default. 

Maturities for non-derivative financial liabilities 2012 

On demand 

$’000 

Within 1 

year 

$’000 

1 to 2 years 

$’000 

2 to 5 years 

$’000 

> 5 years 

$’000 

Total 

$’000 

Payables - 62,398 3,755 329 - 66,482 

Total - 62,398 3,755 329 - 66,482 

Maturities for non-derivative financial liabilities 2011 

On demand 

$’000 

Within 1 year 

$’000 

1 to 2 years 

$’000 

2 to 5 years 

$’000 

> 5 years 

$’000 

Total 

$’000 

Payables - 54,558 292 - - 54,850 

Total - 54,558 292 - - 54,850 

The Corporation has no derivative financial liabilities in both the current and prior year. 

Note 14F—Market risk 

Sensitivity analysis of the risk that the Corporation is exposed to for 2012 

Risk variable 

Change in risk variable 

Profit or loss 

Effect on 


$’000 

Equity 


$’000 

Interest rate risk Interest +1.40% (3,902) (3,902) 

- 1.40% 3,904 3,904 

Currency risk USD +15% 21 21 

141 


-15% (28) (28) 

Sensitivity analysis of the risk that the Corporation is exposed to for 2011 

Effect on 

Profit or loss 

Equity 

Risk variable 

Change in risk variable 


$’000 


$’000 

Interest rate risk 

Currency risk 

Interest 

USD 

+1.75% (4,573) (4,573) 

- 1.75% 4,574 4,574 

+15% 17 17 

-15% (23) (23)


Note 14F—Market risk (continued) 

Interest rate risk 

Interest rate risk refers to the risk that the fair value or future cash flows of a financial instrument will fluctuate because of 

changes in market interest rates. The Corporation is exposed to interest rate risk primarily from managed funds. 

The table above details the interest rate sensitivity analysis of the Corporation at the reporting date, holding all other variables 

constant. A 140 basis point (2011: 175 basis point) change is deemed to be reasonably possible and is used when reporting 

interest rate risk. 

The method used to arrive at the possible risk of 140 basis points was based on both statistical and non-statistical analysis. 

The statistical analysis has been based on the cash rate for the past five years issued by the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) as the 

underlying dataset. This information is then revised and adjusted for reasonableness under the current economic circumstances. 

142 



Currency risk 

Foreign currency risk refers to the risk that the fair value or future cash flows of a financial instrument will fluctuate due to 

changes in foreign exchange rates. The Corporation is exposed to foreign exchange currency risk primarily through undertaking 

certain transactions denominated in foreign currency. 

The Corporation is exposed to foreign currency denominated in US dollars. 

The table above details the effect on the profit and equity as at the reporting date from a 15 percent (2011: 15 percent) 

favourable/unfavourable change in AUS dollars against US dollars with all other variables held constant. 

The method used to arrive at the possible risk of 15 per cent was based on both statistical and non-statistical analyses. 

The statistical analysis has been based on main currencies movement for the last five years. The five main currencies that 

the Commonwealth is exposed to are USD, EUR, GBP, JPY and NZD. This information is then revised and adjusted for 

reasonableness under the current economic circumstances. 

Other price risk 

The Corporation is not exposed to other price risk. 

Note 15: Financial Assets Reconciliation 

Financial assets 

Notes 


$’000 


$’000 

Total financial assets as per balance sheet 223,920 199,608 

Less: non-financial instrument components: 

Other receivables 5B 6,947 5,721 

Investments accounted for using the equity method 5C 114 126 

Total non-financial instrument components 7,061 5,847 

Total financial assets per financial instruments note 216,859 193,761 

Note 16: Compensation and Debt Relief 

No compensation or debt relief payments were made during the reporting period (2011: $NIL).

Note 17: Reporting of Outcomes 

Corporation activity involves the identification, co-ordination, funding and evaluation of research and development for the 

Australian grains industry. The financial statements provide a detailed overview of the Corporation’s total financial operations 

for the year ended 30 June 2012. The Corporation operates predominantly in one industry, the grains industry and in one 

geographical area, being Australia. 

Note 17A: Net Cost of Outcome Delivery 

Outcome 1 

Total 


$’000 


$’000 


$’000 


$’000 

Expenses 

Departmental 165,063 154,051 165,063 154,051 

Total 165,063 154,051 165,063 154,051 

Other own-sourced income 

Departmental 

Interest 13,197 7,219 13,197 7,219 

Industry contributions 97,714 104,496 97,714 104,496 

Project refunds 1,380 899 1,380 899 

Royalties 4,900 2,961 4,900 2,961 

Grants income 3,104 5,987 3,104 5,987 

Other revenue 402 573 402 573 

Gain- investments 904 - 904 - 

Total other own-sourced income 121,601 122,135 121,601 122,135 

Net cost of outcome delivery 43,462 31,916 43,462 31,916 

Outcome 1 is described at Note 1.1. 

143 


Note 17: Reporting of Outcomes (continued) 

Note 17B—Major Classes of Departmental Expense, Income, Assets and Liabilities by Outcomes 

Outcome 1 

Total 


$’000 


$’000 


$’000 


$’000 

144 



Expenses 

Research and development 150,231 140,660 150,231 140,660 

Employees 7,219 6,867 7,219 6,867 

Suppliers 6,697 5,753 6,697 5,753 

Depreciation and amortisation 381 402 381 402 

Write-down of assets 535 369 535 369 

Total expenses 165,063 154,051 165,063 154,051 

Income 

Revenues from Government 55,935 53,397 55,935 53,397 

Interest 13,197 7,219 13,197 7,219 

Industry contributions 97,714 104,496 97,714 104,496 

Project refunds 1,380 899 1,380 899 

Royalties 4,900 2,961 4,900 2,961 

Grants 3,104 5,987 3,104 5,987 

Other revenue 402 573 402 573 

Gain—investments 904 - 904 - 

Total income 177,536 175,532 177,536 175,532 

Assets 

Cash and cash equivalents 77,860 50,249 77,860 50,249 

Trade and other receivables 24,072 24,208 24,072 24,208 

Investments in managed funds 113,767 117,866 113,767 117,866 

Investments accounted for using the equity method 114 126 114 126 

Investments—other 8,107 7,533 8,107 7,533 

Land and buildings 5,900 5,498 5,900 5,498 

Infrastructure, plant and equipment 256 242 256 242 

Intangibles 245 267 245 267 

Other non-financial assets 355 18 355 18 

Total assets 230,676 206,007 230,676 206,007 

Liabilities 

Employee provisions 1,658 1,259 1,658 1,259 

Suppliers payables 602 1,038 602 1,038 

Research and development payables 66,187 54,395 66,187 54,395 

Total liabilities 68,447 56,692 68,447 56,692 

Outcome 1 is described at Note 1.1. 

Opposite page: photo by Emma Leonard

Appendices 

Appendix A—Expenditure on 

government research priorities 146 

Appendix B—GRDC project list 148 

Appendix C—Joint R&D 

project list 175 

Appendix D—Publications 179 

Appendix E—Selection 

Committee report 182

Appendix A—Expenditure on 

government research priorities 

146 


Appendices 

The following tables summarise the total expenditure allocated against the Australian Government’s National Research Priorities and 

priorities for rural R&D within the 2011–12 financial year (see Table 5 in Part 1 for a summary of how GRDC investments addressed these 

priorities). The allocation of funds is shown in both dollar and percentage terms for each output group. 

Table 31a: Australian Government National Research Priorities, dollar values ($m) 


building and transforming 

Australian industries Safeguarding Australia Other Total 

Promoting and 


An environmentally sustainable Australia 

A1 A2 A3 A4 A5 A6 A7 B1 B2 B3 B4 C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 D1 D2 D3 D4 

Practices 3.41 0.11 1.39 0.02 5.13 0.06 25.20 0.04 2.14 12.01 16.57 0.45 66.53 

Varieties 1.65 0.86 0.98 1.12 39.29 0.37 0.23 2.08 8.31 0.23 55.12 

New Products 0.35 0.93 0.06 0.11 0.06 0.38 7.40 1.68 0.29 0.04 3.60 0.14 15.04 

CCB 0.05 0.03 0.17 0.06 11.51 0.03 11.85 

CS 0.01 0.15 0.02 1.30 - 0.21 1.69 

Total 5.46 1.90 2.46 0.13 6.49 0.44 72.10 2.09 2.68 26.94 28.51 1.03 150.23 

CCB = Communication & Capacity Building, CS = Corporate Services

Table 31b: Australian Government National Research Priorities, percentage values (%) 


building and transforming Australian 

industries Safeguarding Australia Other Total 

Promoting and 


An environmentally sustainable Australia 

A1 A2 A3 A4 A5 A6 A7 B1 B2 B3 B4 C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 D1 D2 D3 D4 

Practices 2.27 0.08 0.92 0.02 3.41 0.04 16.80 0.02 1.42 7.99 11.03 0.30 44.30 

Varieties 1.10 0.57 0.65 0.75 26.13 0.26 0.15 1.38 5.53 0.15 36.67 

New Products 0.23 0.62 0.04 0.07 0.04 0.25 4.92 1.12 0.19 0.03 2.40 0.10 10.01 

CCB 0.03 0.02 0.11 0.05 7.66 0.02 7.89 

CS 0.01 0.09 0.02 0.87 - 0.14 1.13 

Total 3.63 1.27 1.63 0.09 4.32 0.29 47.99 1.40 1.78 17.93 18.98 0.69 100.00 

CCB = Communication & Capacity Building, CS = Corporate Services 

Table 32: Australian Government Rural R&D Priorities, dollar and percentage values 

Climate 

variability and 

climate change Biosecurity Innovation skills Technology Other Total 

Natural 

resource 

management 

Supply chain 

and markets 

Productivity 

and adding 

value 

$m % $m % $m % $m % $m % $m % $m % $m % $m % 

Practices 37.21 24.77 0.81 0.54 6.07 4.04 4.76 3.17 13.40 8.92 4.27 2.84 0.01 66.53 44.28 

Varieties 39.42 26.24 3.00 2.00 3.03 2.02 1.70 1.13 7.86 5.23 0.07 0.05 0.04 0.02 55.12 36.69 

New Products 7.25 4.83 3.61 2.40 0.73 0.48 0.06 0.04 2.99 2.00 –0.03 –0.02 0.39 0.26 0.04 0.03 15.04 10.02 

CCB 0.62 0.41 0.15 0.10 0.17 0.11 0.04 0.02 10.87 7.23 11.85 7.87 

CS 0.13 0.09 0.08 0.05 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.01 1.28 0.85 0.02 0.02 0.16 0.11 1.69 1.14 

Total 84.63 56.34 7.50 4.99 9.98 6.64 6.70 4.46 24.30 16.18 16.46 10.95 0.45 0.30 0.21 0.14 150.23 100.00 

CCB = Communication & Capacity Building, CS = Corporate Services 

147 

GRDC Annual Report 2011–2012 Appendix A—Expenditure on government research priorities

Appendix B—GRDC project list 

Number Title Expenditure $ 

PRACTICES 

Cross Practices 

MCC00008 Defining the Metrics required for each GRDC Investment Strategy 30,500 

MCC00009 Evaluate Progress Reports within Natural Resources Portfolio 9,000 

PR149-1 Commercialisation 1,316 

148 


Appendices 

URS00004 

Assist the GRDC in monitoring and evaluating progress of projects within the Regional 

Grower Services portfolio 

64,000 

URS00005 Monitoring and Evaluation of Research Programs 2011 Progress Reports 13,600 

Cross Practices Total 118,416 

Agronomy, Soils and Environment 

CCC00004 High Yielding Irrigated Grains in Cotton Farming Systems 220,909 

CSA00019 Soil Carbon Research Program 172,000 

CSA00020 Economic assessment of nutrient use efficiency of the Australian grains industry 106,847 

CSA00021 

CSA00024 

CSA00032 

CSE00051 

CSO00041 

Enhancing the capability of the Australian grains industry to improve nutrient use 

efficiency 

More Good, less Bad and Ugly—Extracting additional value from grain production 

through selective harvesting 

More Profit from Crop Nutrition II—Improving nutrient use efficiency in wheat—CSIRO 

engagement of Postdoctoral Fellow, GRDC Western Region 

Pest suppressive landscapes—linking integrated pest management and natural 


A fundamental understanding of biochar—implications and opportunities for the 


150,238 

224,910 

165,000 

128,218 

62,085 

CSP00115 Improving productivity by rotating wheat varieties in wheat-on-wheat systems 84,569 

CSP00127 Water balance of conservation farming systems in WA 2 78,078 

CSP00132 Optimising the integration of dual-purpose crops in the high-rainfall zone 295,150 

CSP00134 

CSP00135 

Biodiversity management in the high-rainfall zone for conservation and provision of 

ecosystem services 

A molecular approach to unravel the dynamics of disease-suppressive microbial 

communities 

296,596 

119,500 

CSP00138 Manipulating biological processes that improve nitrogen supply to cereal crops 103,437 

CSP00139 Novel solutions for managing non-wetting soils 224,951 

CSP00160 

Refining variety and management recommendations to improve productivity and 

resource use efficiency of dual-purpose crops in Australia 

400,000 

DAN00129 Development of agronomy packages for new varieties in NSW 178,944 

DAN00131 

Developing agronomic solutions to improve barley yield and grain quality in the 


172,705 

DAN00132 Making better fertiliser decisions for cropping systems in Australia 502,300 

DAN00144 How much ammonia is lost from surface-applied nitrogen fertiliser in northwest NSW? 75,000 

DAN00165 More Profit from Crop Nutrition II—Program Coordination and Communication 300,000 

DAN00166 

More Profit from Crop Nutrition II—Making Better Fertiliser Decisions for Cropping 

Systems in Australia phase 2 

256,200


DAN00167 

DAQ00163 

Variety Specific Agronomy Packages for southern, central and northern 

New South Wales 

Participatory adaptation and mitigation strategies for climate change on the mixed 

farms of north-eastern Australia 

518,349 

418,999 

DAQ00164 Biological suppression of root lesion nematodes in grain-growing soils 151,255 

DAS00111 DNA tests for nematode community analysis 176,894 

DAV00095 

DAV00097 

Improving nitrogen and phosphorus management in south-east Australian 

cropping systems 

The potential of inhibitors for the mitigation of nitrous oxide emissions from animal 

production systems, in south-eastern Australia 

244,284 

255,000 

DAV00099 Harnessing the biological potential of Australian cropping soils 122,056 

DAV00102 Monitoring soil biology with high-resolution genomic technologies 110,932 

DAV00105 Suppressive soils—Can we find a microbial fingerprint using ‘omics’ technology? 79,960 

DAV00106 Managing soil biology to improve nitrogen supply in grain production systems 87,000 

DAV00108 

Demonstrating climate change mitigation and adaptation options through linked and 

integrated cropping farms in Victoria 

654,516 

DAV00113 Expanding the use of pulses in the Southern Region 430,000 

DAV00116 Stepping up grain production in the high-rainfall zone of southern Australia 482,616 

DAV00121 Sustaining wheat yield and quality under increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide 993,025 

DAV00122 

Diagnostic Agronomy South: development, validation and delivery of a 

diagnostic framework 

400,000 

DAW00190 Barley agronomy for the Western Region—2009 to 2012 425,000 

DAW00201 Identification and characterisation of disease-suppressive soils in the Western Region 125,000 

DAW00202 

Demonstrating adaptation to climate change in the wheatbelt of WA through innovative 

on-farm and virtual farm approaches 

626,036 

DAW00204 Delivering agronomic strategies for water-repellent soils in WA 349,854 

DAW00217 Diagnostic Agronomy West 512,453 

DAW00218 Wheat agronomy—building system profitability in the Western Region 746,921 

DEF00001 Regional scenario analyses for cropping in future climates 150,000 

DGA00001 Durum expansion in SA through improved agronomy 35,000 

DGQ00004 

Review of Seeder Technology developed in GRDC Project UNS00002 ‘Active 

Implements for Precision Seed and Fertiliser Placement’ 

ERM00001 Reducing nitrous oxide emissions from sugarcane lands 32,000 

ERM00003 Does strategic tillage undo long term improvement in soils under no-till? 300,000 

FFI00004 Development of a salt- and waterlogging-tolerant wheat 66,000 

FFI00006 EverCrop—delivering profitable perennial options to crop-livestock systems 684,000 

MCC00006 

Review of progress in meeting the goal and strategies of the Australian Grains Industry 

Environmental Plan 

5,757 

20,000 

MCV00006 Assessing and managing heat stress in cereals 40,000 

MCV00007 

Teleconnections between climate drivers and regional climate, and model 

representation of links 

233,338 

MCV00008 Improving forecast accuracy, especially with improved Indian Ocean initialisation 297,500 

MCV00009 Improving multiweek predictions 255,200 

MCV00010 Understanding frost risk in a variable and changing climate 144,379 

MCV00013 Temperature extremes and cropping in WA 115,928 

MCV00014 Managing Climate Variability—communication support 204,332 

MCV00015 Managing Climate Variability—program coordinator 77,599 

149 

GRDC Annual Report 2011–2012 Appendix B—GRDC project list

150 


Appendices 


MCV00017 Managing Climate Variability—communication support and administration 19,909 

MCV00022 Managing Climate Variability—program officer 8,427 

MCV00023 Managing Climate Variability—program management committee 548 

MCV00024 Managing Climate Variability—independent chair 5,570 

MCV00028 Managing Climate Variability—climate analyser decision support system tools 107,520 

MCV00029 Specifying Australia’s climate variability in the context of a changing climate 50,000 

MCV00030 Adding value to climate risk management decision support systems 159,443 

MCV00032 Northern Australia—monsoon prediction 194,902 

PR204-1 Australia’s Farming Future Climate Change Research Program 10,000 

QUT00002 

Integrated data and synthesis framework for reducing nitrous oxide emissions from 

Australian agricultural soils 

382,309 

QUT00003 Reducing nitrous oxide emissions in irrigated grains–cotton farming systems 66,387 

RPS00002 

Quantifying impacts of management on sediment, nutrient and pesticide loss from 

grain farms 

140,000 

RRR00001 Development of a grains industry stewardship plan 47,674 

UA00111 Developing chemical methods to mobilise fixed nutrients in cropping soils 300,000 

UA00119 Assessing management options for enhanced soil phosphorus availability using rotations 87,500 

ULA00008 Validating subsoil manuring in the high-rainfall zone 141,143 

UM00037 

Enhanced efficiency fertilisers as mitigation tools for reducing greenhouse gas emissions 

from intensive agricultural systems in Australia 

56,233 

UM00044 Climate change research strategy for primary industries participants’ agreement 45,000 

UMU00035 

UNE00012 

Improving profit from fertiliser through knowledge-based tools that account for temporal 

and spatial soil nutrient supply 

Mitigating nitrous oxide emissions from soils using pulses and improved 

nitrogen management 

418,212 

75,000 

UQ00050-DAQ Agronomic packages for improved yield and quality in the Australian peanut industry 196,602 

UQ00058-DAQ 

UWA00114 

UWA00130 

Defining critical soil nutrient concentrations in soils supporting grains and cotton in 

northern NSW and Queensland 

Capacity building in production agronomy and farming systems (teaching, research and 

postgraduate training) at UWA 

A fundamental understanding of biochar—implications and opportunities for the 


370,396 

50,048 

147,182 

UWA00131 Fertiliser management strategies for decreasing on-farm greenhouse gas emissions 143,992 

UWA00136 Long term no-till farming systems 250,076 

UWA00138 A national soil quality monitoring framework 342,750 

UWA00139 Harnessing the nitrogen cycle through novel solutions 192,370 

UWA00142 Molecular indicators for soil quality 51,297 

UWS00008 

Carbon storage: Identifying microbial drivers and key modulators in grain cropping 

systems 


Agronomy, Soils and Environment Total 19,070,747 

Crop Protection 

AEP00001 Current and potential costs of invertebrate pests in grain crops 35,822 

AKC00004 Registration for minor use chemicals for the grains industry 187,700 

AKC00005 Pathways to registration—Tactical pesticide registration program 4,500 

AMC00004 Viticulture Spray Drift Impacts 10,507 

AMC00005 Support for Zinc Phosphide Occupational Health and Safety Study 21,200


AMC00006 Scoping of the use of caffeine as a potential molluscicide 6,675 

AMC00008 Program Review 2012—National Plant Pathology Program 17,700 

AMC00009 Program Review 2012—National Herbicide Tolerance Evaluation Program 7,445 

ANU00019 Understanding the production risks from necrotrophic fungi 99,730 

BHO00001 Program Review 2012—National Plant Pathology Program 3,250 

CSE00054 Pest management in grains—research, coordination and industry engagement 630,090 

CSP00150 Management of soilborne Rhizoctonia disease risk in cereal crops 185,000 

CSP00151 New knowledge and tools to manage food and feed harvest quality 180,000 

CUR00016 Australian Centre for Necrotrophic Fungal Pathogens Phase 2—Fungicide benchmarks 35,000 

CUR00019 Fungicide evaluation of new generation actives in cereals and pulse crops 450,000 

DAN00142 Differential herbicide tolerance of winter crops in south-east Australia—Stage 3 357,000 

DAN00143 Northern NSW integrated disease management 600,008 

DAN00147 

DAN00164 

Integrated disease management for cereal and broadleaf crops in southern NSW and 

northern Victoria 

Helicoverpa insecticide resistance: monitoring, management and novel methods of 

helicoverpa control on Bollgard II cotton 

205,000 

75,000 

DAQ00153 Northern Region pulse and grains integrated pest management 525,000 

DAQ00154 Northern Region integrated disease management 1,463,944 

DAQ00166 Project review–Australian Cereal Rust Control Program (1,546) 

DAS00094 Diamondback moth (Plutella xylostella) control and insecticide resistance management 272,962 

DAS00099 Disease management in a changing farming environment 1,245,000 

DAS00100 Herbicide tolerance screening in the Southern Region with national coordination 320,000 

DAS00115 

Molecular diagnostics centre for delivery of training and diagnostics for soilborne 

disease management 

300,000 

DAS00122 Fungicide control of Rhizoctonia Part C 45,000 

DAS00123 Fungicide control of Rhizoctonia Part B 155,000 

DAS00125 Fungicide control of Rhizoctonia Part A 120,000 

DAS00127 Snail and slug control scoping study 130,000 

DAV00111 Victorian integrated disease management 480,000 

DAW00191 

DAW00196 

Evaluating herbicide tolerance of new crop varieties in the Western Region with 

national coordination 

Communication and development to deliver innovative weed management practices 

to WA grain growers 

367,000 

460,000 

DAW00207 National modelling, risk forecasting and epidemiology of crop diseases 264,999 

DAW00210 

Western Region fungal and viral integrated disease management research and 

development 

850,000 

DAW00212 Western Region nematology integrated disease management research and development 185,000 

DGS00001 Program Review 2012—National Plant Pathology Program 17,700 

FFC00008 Program Review 2012—National Herbicide Tolerance Evaluation Program 6,741 

FOR00003 Program Review 2012—National Plant Pathology Program 19,000 

FOR00004 Program Review 2012—National Plant Pathology Program 27,400 

FRA00001 Program Review 2012—National Plant Pathology Program 17,100 

GPA00001 National working party on pesticide application 8,500 

GRD4-10-1 Program Review—National Herbicide Tolerance Evaluation Program 10,136 

IAC00001 Extending approved use patterns of zinc phosphide products for in-crop mouse control 75,000 

151 


152 


Appendices 


ICN00009 National promotion of integrated weed management in Australian cropping systems 147,873 

MRM00001 Pesticide research advisory support 25,520 

NPB00008 Russian wheat aphid hypervirulence and Australia’s preparedness strategy 119,203 

PCP00002 Support for zinc phosphide occupational health and safety study 11,278 

PHA00002 

PHA00004 

PHA00005 

PHA00006 

PHA00007 

Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority spray drift modelling 

investment consultancy 

Provision of independent technical and secretarial services to the national working party 

for pesticide application 

A detailed evaluation of current international responses (regulation and research) 

to the management of pesticide spray drift—Project 3 

To facilitate a stakeholder discussion and solutions regarding the management of plant 

industry ‘minor use’ permit applications 

A strategic assessment of current and potential revised national training framework(s) 

for pesticide application that would support the implementation of Drift Reducing 

Technology (as a mechanism to lower buffer distances), best management practice and 

improved product efficacy (Project 8) 

1,744 

65,000 

70,000 

19,100 

10,000 

PHA00008 Review of draft Agvet bill on research delivery 8,000 

PJS00001 Program Review 2012—National Plant Pathology Program 35,500 

RDP00008 Provision of independent National Integrated Weed Management Initiative Chair Services 35,943 

ROE00002 GRDC Grower Survey Regarding Strategies to Deal with Mouse Plague 25,000 

SGA00005 

Review of the potential use and role of propyzamide for registration in pulse and 

oilseed production 

10,412 

SGA00006 Program Review 2012—National Herbicide Tolerance Evaluation Program 21,743 

TAP00003 The Australian Cereal Rust Control Program Strategic Plan 40,987 

TAS00001 

TEP00002 

Building Industry capacity to adopt integrated weed management in the cotton–grains 

farming system through research–client linkages 

Scoping of application of surface inversions and Sigma Theta relationships and 

development of grower tools in the Clare Valley 

75,000 

UA00104 Understanding and management of weed resistance to glyphosate 50,000 

UA00113 

Improving integrated weed management in conservation farming systems in the 


7,270 

842,454 

UA00121 Managing the risks of trifluralin resistance in no-till cropping systems 149,953 

UA00124 

UA00134 

UM00033 

Understanding and management of resistance to group M, group L and 

group I herbicides 

Improving integrated weed management practice in the Southern Region—Emerging 

weed issues 

Developing and demonstrating the role of alternative chemistries and integrated 

management for crop establishment pests 

599,994 

499,940 

77,420 

UM00035 Impact assessment for GM canola in cropping systems 126,692 

UM00038 Novel approaches to control fungal diseases of oilseed brassicas in Australia 680,000 

UM00039 

UM00041 

Understanding pathogenicity risk within the current Ascochyta rabiei fungal population 

and development of a revised disease management plan 

Wheat curl mite, wheat streak mosaic and high plains virus: detection, transmission, 

epidemiology and management 

185,750 

284,850 

UM00042 Staying ahead of blackleg: monitoring and managing host and pathogen 376,949 

UM00043 Insecticide resistance and alternative chemistries for mite control 197,917 

UM00046 

Scoping study for further research and development on managing aphids and 

virus transmission and economic impact of integrated pest management in grain 

production zones 

98,313 

UNE00013 Introduction and Extension of Integrated Pest Management in Northern New South Wales 100,000


UQ00047 An interim model for buffer zone reduction in pesticide application from ground sprayers 10,000 

UQ00059-DAQ Herbicide tolerance screening of winter crops in the Northern Region—Phase 4 210,000 

UQ00060 

Core drift reduction technologies database to support the ground application of 

pesticides (boom sprayer), accommodating nozzles, formulations and adjuvants 

213,353 

UQ00062 Improving Integrated Weed Management practice in the Northern Region 450,000 

US00053 

US00055 

US00062 

UWA00124 

UWA00125 

Adult plant resistance and strategic fungicide use for integrated management of 

cereal rust 

Formative study of human exposure to zinc phosphide during the on-farm preparation 

of mouse baits—Phase 1 

Human exposure to zinc phosphide during the on-farm preparation of mouse baits— 

Phase 2 

Efficacy of the Harrington Weed Seed Destructor in targeting weed seeds during the 

harvest of Australian grain crops 

Weed Seed Wizard: validation and improvement of a weed management decision 

support tool 

413,790 

310,599 

356,694 

182,102 

200,000 

UWA00134 Developing and promoting integrated pest management in Australian grains 460,133 

UWA00144 Building national capacity in education and research in applied entomology 172,484 

UWA00146 Australian Herbicide Resistance Initiative—Phase 4 1,100,000 

UWA00152 Managing soil-borne diseases with a focus on Rhizoctonia 40,001 

Crop Protection Total 19,594,524 

Validation and Integration 

AEA00004 South-eastern Australia Grain and Graze 2 Program 459,650 

AFL00002 Optimising future Australian grains industry extension systems 198,400 

ARO00001 Agribusiness Trial Extension Network 12,500 

BWD00012 Yielding benefits through partnerships 303,782 

BWD00018 Northern Victorian Grain and Graze 2 Program 487,327 

BWR00001 Northern Region Agribusiness Trial Extension Network 7,000 

CCC00005 The role of Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) cotton in pest-suppressive landscapes 29,091 

CRA00001 Northern Region Agribusiness Trial Extension Network 12,500 

CRA00002 Cultivar Crown Rot Tolerance trials 44,000 

CRC00002 Western Region Agribusiness Trial Extension Network 100,000 

CSA00023 Doing it better, doing it smarter—managing soil water in Australian agriculture 322,320 

CSA00025 Water use efficient farming systems for the Mallee 399,885 

CSA00027 Adding value to the GRDC’s National Variety Trials network 495,000 

CSA00029 National integration of crop sequence strategies and tactics 234,916 

CSA00030 Benchmarking data 50,000 

CSA00033 

CSE00055 

CSP00111 

CSP00128 

CSP00146 

Realising yield potential through farming systems research, development and 

extension—Western region—Extension 

Crop sequences to manage soil pathogens and reduce the yield gap of Northern 

Region grain production 

Identifying farm-scale opportunities to improve water use efficiency—a nationally 

coordinated systems approach 

Maximising crop yield in the high-rainfall zone of WA through efficient use of water 

and nutrients 

Facilitating increased on-farm adoption of broadleaf species in crop sequences to 

improve grain production and profitability 

174,949 

250,000 

253,385 

481,176 

594,310 

153 


154 


Appendices 


CSP00159 

Increasing Water Use Efficiency in the northern sandplain region of 

Western Australia—extension 

315,637 

CWF00013 Increasing farm water use efficiency in central-west NSW 364,100 

CWF00015 Low-rainfall collaboration project 200,000 

DAN00102 CropMate—climate information for crop production 60,000 

DAN00148 Southern Region Agribusiness Trial Extension Network 12,500 

DAN00150 Improving the reliability of sorghum in the western zone 324,940 

DAN00156 Establishing a Northern Pulse Agronomy Initiative 60,000 

DAQ00162 Grain and Graze 2—Northern Region 514,500 

DAQ00170 Grower solutions for central Queensland 392,968 

DAQ00173 

Evaluating the role of brassica crops in south-west Queensland and northern NSW 

grain cropping systems 

90,809 

DAQ00174 Cropping solutions for the sugarcane farming systems of the Burdekin 375,000 

DAS00089 Improving crop and farm water use efficiency in Australia 125,000 

DAS00119 Profitable crop sequencing in the low-rainfall areas of south-eastern Australia 435,000 

DAS00126 Regional Cropping Solutions 198,479 

DAW00193 The agronomy jigsaw—finding the pieces that maximise water use efficiency 240,000 

DAW00213 Putting the focus on profitable break crop and pasture sequences in WA 1,750,000 

FBP00003 Agribusiness Trial Extension Network 12,500 

FFC00005 Validate and integrate canopy management principles into WA cropping systems 148,600 

FFC00006 Western Region Agribusiness Trial Extension Network 12,500 

FFC00007 Western Region Agribusiness Trial Extension Network 12,500 

FGI00007 Grain and Graze 2—WA region 504,500 

FGI00008 Western Region Agribusiness Trial Extension Network 10,250 

FLR00005 

Catch More, Store More, Grow More: integrating soil and crop management to improve 

whole-farm water use efficiency in the mixed farming zone of southern NSW 

210,000 

FLR00006 Grain and Graze 2—Building resilient mixed farming systems in southern NSW 333,000 

FPR00001 Practical financial figures for farm business management 497,898 

GCM00001 Southern Region Agribusiness Trial Extension Network 12,500 

GOA00001 Grower solutions for central NSW 650,000 

GRA00002 Southern Region Agribusiness Trial Extension Network 12,275 

GRD4-9 Project Review 2012—Partners in Grain 8,000 

HFG00006 Managing moisture for improved water use efficiency in the Southern Region 104,791 

HGS00001 Agribusiness Trial Extension Network 12,500 

IAR00001 Field trial database and grower engagement support 100,000 

KAR00002 2011 tracking survey 54,860 

LEA00001 Improving water use efficiency in lower Eyre Peninsula farming systems 100,000 

LIE00006 

Improved stubble and soil management practices for sustainable farming systems 

in the Liebe area 

247,889 

MAF00001 Southern Region Agribusiness Trial Extension Network 12,428 

MCP00003 Northern Region Cropping Solutions Coordinator 100,000 

MFM00003 

Improving farm water use efficiency on Kangaroo Island and in the south-east of 

South Australia 

100,000 

MFM00004 Regional Cropping Solutions 207,046 

MIG00012 Grower Group Alliance 328,430


NAG00002 Western Region Agribusiness Trial Extension Network 12,500 

NGA00003 Grower solutions for northern NSW and southern Queensland 1,000,000 

NPN00001 Agribusiness Trial Extension Network 8,575 

NRS00005 National leadership and mentoring 66,596 

PAL00017 Better Break Crops—advancing broad leaf cropping 650,000 

PLN00004 Regional Cropping Solutions 114,000 

PLN00005 

Understanding Sclerotinia in Canola in the Northern Agricultural Region of 

Western Australia 

15,000 

PLN00006 Herbicide Sequencing for Better and More Sustainable Wild Radish Control 35,000 

PR185-1 Cropping in catchments 3,009 

PR205-1 Water use efficiency workshop 22,818 

PR333-1 Industry Development Award Extension Network—Advertising 11,535 

PR93-1 5th World Congress of Conservation Agriculture 2011 208,418 

PRI00002 Southern Region Agribusiness Trial Extension Network 12,436 

PRI00003 Regional Cropping Solutions 205,899 

RDP00007 Southern Region Agribusiness Trial Extension Network 12,500 

ROE00001 Evaluation activities for Grain and Graze 2 137,000 

RPI00007 

Improved water use efficiency in no-till cropping and stubble retention systems in 

spatially and temporally variable conditions in the riverine plains 

198,543 

RWB00001 Rural Focus interviews with the GRDC 6,000 

SCF00001 Western Region Agribusiness Trial Extension Network 12,500 

SDI00002 Regional Cropping Solutions 453,000 

SDI00003 Regional Cropping Solutions, Albany—Soil and water relationships during variable seasons 16,000 

SDI00004 

SDI00005 

Regional Cropping Solutions, Esperance—Hybrid canola management in low rainfall 

mallee areas 

Regional Cropping Solutions, Kwinana East—Soil and water relationships during 

variable seasons 

10,000 

50,000 

SDI00006 Regional Cropping Solutions, Kwinana West—Management of Non-wetting Soils 49,080 

SDI00007 Regional Cropping Solutions, Albany—Grazing crops for frost mitigation 13,600 

SDI00008 

SDI00009 

SDI00010 

SDI00011 

Regional Cropping Solutions, Esperance—Management options of non-wetting soils in 

the southern coastal region 

Regional Cropping Solutions, Esperance—Variable Rate Technology and its application 

in the Esperance Port Zone 

Regional Cropping Solutions, Esperance—Learning events to actively manage business 

risk and uncertainty 

Regional Cropping Solutions, Albany—Wheat variety research and extension focusing 

on wheat sprouting tolerance for wheat grown in the Albany zone 

29,000 

SDI00012 Regional Cropping Solutions, Albany—Weed seed destruction 11,000 

SDI00013 Regional Cropping Solutions—Non-wetting soil management farmer visit 5,000 

SFS00019 

Optimising the profitability of high-rainfall zone cropping in south-west Victoria through 

improved water use efficient farming systems 

1,000 

5,000 

9,300 

209,870 

SFS00020 Southern Victorian Grain and Graze 2 Program 351,946 

SFS00022 Pastures in crop sequencing for the high-rainfall zone of Southern Australia 245,000 

SOD00001 Custom website for the Grain and Graze 2 Program 10,715 

SYN00003 Western Region Agribusiness Trial Extension Network 12,500 

SYN00004 Western Region Agribusiness Trial Extension Network 12,500 

155 


156 


Appendices 


UA00107 Eyre Peninsula Farming Systems 3—responsive farming systems 353,988 

UA00117 Eyre Peninsula Grain and Graze 2 202,029 

UNF00001 Increasing farm water use efficiency in the upper north of SA 125,000 

UQ00053-DAQ 

Improving the integration of legumes in grain and sugarcane farming systems in 

southern Queensland 

310,221 

UT00016 Improved water use efficiency of rain-fed and irrigated farming systems in Tasmania 130,035 

UT00020 Increasing water use efficiency in mixed crop–livestock systems in Tasmania 160,800 

VIC00009 Regional Cropping Solutions 191,962 

WAG00001 

Strategic nitrogen management for western New South Wales no-till farming systems 

on vertosols 

24,584 

Validation and Integration Total 19,887,050 

Extension and Grower Programs 

ACC00006 Extension and adoption training and support 105,000 

ADW00001 GRDC extension portal 6,500 

AES00006 

GRDC Farm Business Management face-to-face and online training and Farm Business 

Management factsheets 

302,630 

AMP00004 Integrated disease management—Study Tour 25,000 

ANV00011 

Research and production of Integrated Weeds Management (IWM) video tutorials for 

online version of the GRDC IWM manual 

24,387 

ANV00012 Ground Cover TV EDM and Web Based Content 224,889 

APR00001 Practical Financial Figures for Farm Business Management 753,500 

BGC00001 Improving practice of spray drift management techniques 304,467 

BWD00016 GM canola agronomy 70,025 

CEC00001 Integration of final reports onto the GRDC website 70,000 

CQA00001 Extension provider upskilling—technology adoption 88,450 

CSA00028 Empirical studies of farming systems technology adoption 67,500 

DAQ00158 Grain storage extension 531,807 

DAW00200 Agribusiness Training Program GRDC-subsidised training project 33,000 

DAW00211 Grains Research Updates—Western Region 32,000 

EXH00001 GRDC Website Hitwise Accessibility 22,500 

FPL00002 GRDC Search Engine Enhancements 11,385 

GGA00003 Grain Gain—leadership for grains industry innovation 142,000 

GHD00002 Continuation of GRDC–Agribusiness relationship 105,925 

GIA00001 GRDC–DAFWA Grains Research Updates—Western Region 100,000 

GRF00001 Queensland Regional Advisory Committee coordination 48,000 

ICN00010 Delivery of technical workshops to enhance industry knowledge—foliar disease 15,000 

ICN00011 GRDC Research Updates—Northern Region 205,000 

ICN00013 

Weeds instructional videos, online version of the Integrated Weed Management manual, 

on-line web content updates and e-learning content and 3 weeds webinars 

153,725 

IDA10202 IDA—Study Tour of Western Australian No-Till Farming Association Spring Field Day (1,115) 

IDA10301 IDA—Study tour of Argentinean zero-till machinery and systems 13,800 

IDA10306 IDA—Study tour of non-chemical weed control options 12,000 

IDA10311 IDA—Support for grower group attendance at Agribusiness Crop Updates 6,050 

IDA10317 IDA—Practices Study Tour 15,000


IDA10323 

IDA—precision agriculture and machinery tour to Western New South Wales 

Grain Growers 

IDA10351 IDA—Bringing northern knowledge south 12,950 

IDA10352 

IDA—Australia-wide grower group involvement at the GGA Annual Forum—A decade of 

working together: preparing for the future 

3,500 

14,500 

IDA10355 IDA—Farming systems and the continued problem of herbicide resistance 14,947 

IDA10357 IDA—Farming group exchange 15,000 

IDA10358 IDA—team participating in Invigorating Agriculture Conference 7,910 

IDA10363 IDA—’China’ the elephant in our economy 14,950 

IDA10364 IDA—Study tour 2012 15,000 

IDA10388 IDA—To attend the Australian Grains Industry Conference 15,000 

JLC00013 Final report editing for GRDC website for advisers and growers 95,000 

LDP00001 Digitisation of Ground Cover for the website and technical training programs 185,603 

LSP00001 GRDC Customer Relationship Management Database 2,285 

MCC00003 Precision agriculture coordination support 8,000 

MDE00001 Database-cleansing services for the GRDC CRM 60,000 

MDE00002 

MDE00003 

NCA00008 

Enhancing GRDC website regional eNewsletters, Ground Cover, SMS and other 

customer relationship management campaign data enhancements 

Customer Relationship Management Consultancy and Campaign Development— 

Mobile devices—the next step in Precision Agriculture adoption 

Improving market signals for the GRDC and the grains industry to enhance delivery 

to customers 

160,290 

165,190 

72,000 

NCA00009 Intra-maps for the CRM 48,000 

NFA00008 Research Advisory Committees—northern and southern NSW 72,720 

ORM00001 GRDC Research Updates—Southern Region 514,592 

ORM00004 Delivery of Farm Business Management Updates in the GRDC Southern Region 630,000 

PAC00003 New GRDC website grower focus groups 36,800 

PCT00001 Precision agriculture—Building knowledge, linking agronomy, growers profiting 130,900 

PNS00011 Social media and the GRDC 79,960 

PR236-1 Continuation of agribusiness relationship 6,050 

PR298-1 

Purchase of customer relationship management datasets and mail-house campaigns— 

National Grower Register 

PR321-1 Adding economic value to the update programs 5,918 

PR324-1 Delivery of GRDC technical workshops 22,017 

PR325-1 

Capacity maintenance—managing grower and adviser human capacity for long term 

sustainability of the grains industry 

2,310 

15,340 

PR331-1 Development of an online field trials website 9,648 

PR332-1 E-learning and electronic application training packages 9,840 

RBC00002 

Delivery of technical workshops to enhance industry knowledge—understanding 

National Variety Trials, crop nutrition and water use efficiency 

72,590 

RDC00004 GRDC Contribution to Collaborative Partnership for Farming and Fishing Health and Safety 60,000 

RDC00006 Investing in Youth initiative 10,000 

RDP00009 GRDC Southern Region Technical Workshop—Grain Marketing 46,000 

RMP00007 2011–2014 GRDC Crop Update DVD and YouTube Videos 76,188 

RMP00008 Range Media Crop Notes 75,000 

RRA00015 Ute Guides online and smart-phone application 6,990 

157 


158 


Appendices 


RRA00029 

Redevelopment of the GRDC website (www.grdc.com.au) and Customer Relationship 

Management development 

118,640 

RRA00032 Weeds—Ute Guide and iPad Android Application 69,300 

RRA00033 Insects Western—Ute Guides and iPad Android Application 55,800 

RRA00034 Insects Southern—Ute Guides and iPad Android Application 31,400 

RRA00035 Insects Northern—Ute Guides and iPad Android Application 31,400 

RRA00036 Plain English Summaries for the GRDC website 19,000 

RRA00037 App Sitecore Integration 76,500 

RRA00038 Bookshop Payment Gateway 59,000 

RRA00039 Updating GRDC Main Website 11,500 

RRA00040 Winter Cereal Nutrition Ute guide iPhone/iPad/Android 58,200 

RRA00041 Canola Ute Guide iPhone/iPad/Android 58,200 

RRA00042 Field Peas Ute Guide iPhone/iPad/Android 58,200 

SAF00004 Research Advisory Committees—South Australia 37,080 

SEP00009 

South East Premium Wheat Growers Association Tech Heads Technology Day 

in Agriculture 

SEP00011 Mobile devices—the next step in Precision Agriculture adoption 11,567 

SIT00001 

Redevelopment of the GRDC website (www.grdc.com.au) and content management 

system development—Sitecore Software 

5,000 

11,900 

SPA00010 Training and demonstration of precision agriculture in practice 281,250 

TFG00001 Tasmanian Research Advisory Committee 12,360 

UB00002 

UNE00015 

Online libraries for the GRDC website—digitisation of GRDC documents for 

online publication 

Graduate Certificate and Diploma in Sustainable Grains Production for industry 

advisors and growers 

39,000 

329,564 

UWA00135 Map-based interactive web interface for PestFax 163,300 

VFF00006 Research Advisory Committee—Victoria 37,080 

WZ00001 GRDC Website Weatherzone 1,132 

Extension and Grower Programs Total 7,857,786 

PRACTICES TOTAL 66,528,523 

VARIETIES 

Cross Varieties 

AMC00007 Progress Report Evaluation 10,848 

BRE00005 Evaluating Progress Reports 1,050 

EPP00001 Coordination of GRDC Theme Consultation Meetings 10,000 

JOL00001 Progress Report Evaluation 12,220 

VR83-1 Varieties commercialisation 40,682 

Cross Varieties Total 74,800 

Gene Discovery 

ACP00002-Q Australian Centre for Plant Functional Genomics, Phase 2 2,000,000 

ANU00011 The generation of wheat cultivars with improved drought tolerance and agronomic traits 53,000 

ANU00014 The plasticity and genetic control of root development under mechanical impedance 319,932 

ANU00016 Characterisation of effector proteins from necrotrophic fungal wheat pathogens 99,990


ANU00017 

ANU00018 

BWD00014 

Wheat ERECTA/ERECTA-like genes: Isolation and functional evaluation of candidate 

transpiration efficiency genes 

Identifying wheat germplasm with superior rubiscos for breeding for increased 

productivity 

Benchmarking study of the economic, agronomic and environmental impacts of GM 

herbicide-tolerant canola 

180,000 

349,990 

84,915 

CSP00099 Triple Rust Initiative 1,200,000 

CSP00114 


Analysis of plant defence responses to the broad host range fungal pathogen, 

Rhizoctonia solani, using wheat and Arabidopsis 

‘Overgrowth’ mutants of wheat and barley: new sources of genetic variation for growth, 

yield and grain quality 

71,000 

130,000 

CSP00129 Fast-tracking gene discovery in wheat root systems with Brachypodium distachyon 242,248 

CSP00143 New strategies for phenotyping reproductive stage frost and chilling tolerance in wheat 304,918 

CSP00154 Functional analysis of the genome of the major crown rot pathogen 180,000 

CSP00155 

Reverse genetics for the development of wheat cultivars with improved resistance to 

necrotrophic pathogens 

300,000 

CSP00161 Triple Rust Resistance Project—Australian Centre for Rust Control Program 1,400,000 

CUR00012 

CUR00018 

Australian Centre for Necrotrophic Fungal Pathogens, Phase 3—Pleosporales functional 

genomics 

Australian Centre for Necrotrophic Fungal Pathogens; Phase 3—Pleosporales 

Effector Delivery 

600,437 

199,940 

DAN00117 Development of molecular markers for application in Australian canola breeding 377,309 

DAN00117UQ Development of molecular markers for application in Australian canola breeding 110,410 

DAN00123 Quarantine CIMMYT bread wheat germplasm 96,355 

DAN00125 Australian winter cereals collection 462,270 

DAN00161 Direct negotiation of succession planning 100,000 

DAQ00177 Identifying Candidate Genes for Stay-Green in Sorghum 199,368 

DAQ00178 Barley Foliar Pathogens—genetic control 288,810 

DAS00087 Map-based cloning of the scald resistance gene Rrs1’Turk’ 95,400 

DAV00098 Molecular markers for pulse-breeding programs 600,000 

DAV00103 Establishing a SNP genomic resource for the Australian wheat industry 229,171 

GRD4-11-1 

HEA00001 

HOW00001 

Program Review 2012—National Molecular Marker Programs—wheat and barley, 

canola and pulses 





29,964 

ICA00007 Focused identification of germplasm for specific traits 237,020 

JWS00001 

MUE00001 

DIB00001 







GAR00001 Program Review 2012—CIMMYT–Australia–ICARDA Germplasm Evaluation Program 12,200 

GRD4-7 Program Review 2012—CIMMYT–Australia–ICARDA Germplasm Evaluation Program 16,038 

GRD4-7-1 Program Review 2012—CIMMYT–Australia–ICARDA Germplasm Evaluation Program 3,593 

TAP00005 



9,000 

7,000 

5,000 

5,000 

3,020 

7,000 

159 


160 


Appendices 


SHE00003 Program Review 2012—CIMMYT–Australia–ICARDA Germplasm Evaluation Program 11,013 

PBH00001 Program Review 2012—CIMMYT–Australia–ICARDA Germplasm Evaluation Program 20,305 

UA00102 Australian Wheat and Barley Molecular Marker Program—genetic analysis module 1,000,000 

UA00123 Identification of genetic variation for heat tolerance in durum and bread wheat 249,614 

UA00136 Australian National Frost Program—coordination and phenotyping 500,000 

UMU00037 International wheat genome sequencing consortium assembly of chromosome 7A 220,000 

UQ00057-DAQ 

Optimised wheat root architecture for increased yield and yield stability in the face of a 

changing climate 

189,080 

US00039 Australian Cereal Rust Control Program 1,678,145 

US00045 CIMMYT–ICARDA suite of projects: communication 123,382 

UW00004 Capacity building for statistics 200,000 

UW00005 Statistics for the Australian Grains Industry—II 1,019,196 

UWA00145 

Innovative approaches to resistance to necrotrophic pathogens and sap-sucking 

insect pests 

597,449 

UWA00147 Genome sequencing in narrow-leafed lupins 499,960 

UWA00151 Unleashing the power of genomics for lupin marker development and crop improvement 119,954 

UWA00154 

Strategies to provide resistance to the economically important fungal pathogen, 

Rhizoctonia solani 

300,000 

VR174-1 National Variety Trials program, Round 2 6,475,683 

Gene Discovery Total 23,814,079 

Germplasm Enhancement 

ACP00007 Development of a pre-breeding strategy on nutrient use efficiency—a scientific review 1,000 

AGP00010 

Validation of late sowing to identify heat stress tolerance in wheat and investigation of 

quantitative trait loci for heat stress tolerance 

51,700 

ANU00012 Disease resistance and epidemiology of scald and net form of net blotch 150,960 

ATR00011 

Development of a pre-breeding strategy on nutrient use efficiency—an economic 

impact assessment 

BRE00002 Crown Rot and Nematode Consultancy 35,000 

CFF00003 Elimination of pre-harvest sprouting in wheat 371,557 

CIM00013 Australian Cereal Rust Control Program—adult plant resistance to wheat rusts 500,000 

CIM00015 Enhanced delivery of CIMMYT germplasm to Australia 240,096 

CIM00016 

Enhancement of CIMMYT wheat breeding strategy for drought tolerance and genotypes 

of relevance to rain-fed areas of Australia 

485 

410,152 

CSP00133 New sources of salt tolerance for wheat and barley 155,724 

CSP00137 Increasing the capacity of wheat to extract phosphorus from soils 96,000 

CSP00142 Protecting the Australian wheat industry from the wheat streak mosaic virus 58,500 

CSP00144 

Genetic analysis of wheat quality using MAGIC (multiparent advanced generation 

intercross) populations 

600,000 

CSP00149 Develop new crown rot resistant barley germplasm 166,782 

CSP00156 

Engagement of the national managed environment facility in validation and delivery of 

key physiological traits for improved wheat performance under drought 

334,000 

DAN00137 Managed environment facility: Yanco 245,805 

DAN00162 Evaluation of durum material in managed environment facilities 34,023 

DAQ00142 

Wheat pathology in the Northern Region—development of rapid screening 

methodologies for wheat diseases of importance 

DAQ00167 Germplasm enhancement for crown rot resistance in winter cereals 206,611 

(558)


DAQ00171 Genetic options for nematode control 433,978 

DAR00008 Data capture and management of Managed Environmental projects 147,000 

DAS00096 Control of cereal fungal diseases 146,850 

DAS00101 Development of molecular markers for cereal cyst nematode resistance and tolerance 35,426 

DAS00114 

Provision of test reagents for antibody-based late maturity a-amylase detection to 

researchers and breeders 

40,000 

DAS00116 Genetic options for nematode control in the Southern Region 300,000 

DAS00118 Scoping study for GRDC strategic pre-breeding alliance with ICRISAT 6,000 

DAV00093 Plant genetic resources: Australian Temperate Field Crops Collection 332,730 

DAV00123 Victorian Field Crop Nematology Project 203,041 

DAW00162 Nationally coordinated frost trials—Western Region 30,000 

DAW00198 Managed environment facility: Merredin 334,672 

DAW00205 Genetic and phenological basis of head loss in malting barley 150,000 

DAW00206 Germplasm enhancement for yellow spot resistance in wheat 299,969 

DAW00209 Genetic options for the management of root lesion nematode species in WA 100,000 

DAW00215 

DAW00219 

Characterising water deficit and benchmarking genetic diversity in wheat for key 

adaptive traits at Merredin, Yanco and Narrabri managed environment facilities 

Characterising and exploiting genetic diversity in wheat and barley for tolerance to water 

deficit during germination and crop establishment 

236,126 

117,064 

DAW00220 Barley Grain Defects—Research and Screening Services 240,000 

ICA00008 Breeding chickpea for drought tolerance and disease resistance 220,250 

ICA00009 

Enhancement of yield and yield stability of spring bread wheat targeted to semi-arid 

Mediterranean areas 

249,175 

NYC00001 GM Lupin Steering Committee consultancy 4,220 

PBB00001 Executive support for the Australian Winter Cereals Pre-breeding Alliance 83,363 

RJC00001 

Business case for the development and running of the Australian Grains Genebank 

at Horsham 

UA00100 Nationally coordinated frost trials—Southern Region 30,000 

UA00112 Development and evaluation of weed competitive wheat cultivars 140,314 

UA00114 Frost tolerance in wheat 224,454 

UA00115 Improving phosphorus use efficiency in wheat and barley 312,504 

UA00116 Investigation of root traits and nutrient efficiency for durum wheat improvement 319,080 

UA00118 Development of high salinity tolerant winter cereals germplasm 633,564 



Breeding tools to predict gene effects influencing adaptation and grain quality in 

dry environments 

Understanding the genetic control of hectolitre weight and screenings under normal 

growing conditions 

1,720 

255,571 

150,000 

UA00130 Preharvest sprouting resistance in wheat 170,000 

UA00131 Black point in wheat 46,400 

UA00132 Yellow pigments in wheat and wheat-based end products 252,000 

UA00133 Late maturity a-amylase in wheat 395,000 

UMU00029 Pre-emptive breeding for Russian wheat aphid resistance 280,000 

UMU00036 Integration of an extra glutenin subunit into Australia wheat cultivars 187,232 

UMU00038 Improved Adaptation of Barley to Acid Soils 200,000 

UMU00039 

Validating the role of the wheat 1-FEH (fructan exohydrolase) gene in stem water-soluble 

carbohydrate remobilisation to the grain 

173,660 

161 


162 


Appendices 


UQ00043 CIMMYT–ICARDA suite of projects: Database Project 56,583 

UQ00049 Rapid introgression of crown rot resistance into hexaploid wheat 245,166 

UQ00052-DAQ 

UQ00064 

Nationally coordinated frost trials and physiological studies of frost resistance in 

wheat and barley 

StressMaster: A decision support tool to manage irrigation in real time in managed 

environments 

80,000 

118,724 

US00051 National managed environment facility: Narrabri 123,765 

US00054 

USQ00012 

UT00022 

UT00024 

Crown rot germplasm enhancement for wheat: University of Sydney and SARDI 

components 

Enhanced germplasm for crown rot in winter cereals through application of 

molecular markers 

Quantifying the relative contribution of physiological traits contributing to salinity 

tolerance in wheat and barley 

The role of canopy architecture in improving the water-limited yield of wheat lines 

contrasting in the ‘tin’ gene 

361,676 

130,000 

160,948 

69,874 

UWA00129 Generation of GM herbicide-tolerant narrow-leaf lupin 682,820 

UWA00133 Improved nitrogen use efficiency in wheat and barley 317,956 

Germplasm Enhancement Total 13,486,712 

Wheat and Barley Breeding 

AGL00009 Report the terms and conditions for access to ticket-by-variety date at point of delivery 20,000 

AGP00011 The National Triticale Improvement Program 415,000 

AVI00002 Project Review 2011—Dual Purpose Crop 11,774 

BA00003 Pilot brewing evaluation for malting barley lines destined for export 66,666 

BA00007 Pilot Brewing for Malting Barley Lines 69,300 

CFF00004 APH Zone Evaluation 323,000 

CPL00001 Hybridisation Systems 19,851 

CPL00002 Hybridisation Systems Part 2 5,134 

CSP00101 Breeding dual purpose feed wheats for the high-rainfall zones 325,000 

HDE00001 Project Review 2011—Dual Purpose Crop 4,900 

DAN00118 Australian Durum Wheat Improvement Program 519,051 

DAN00118UA Australian Durum Wheat Improvement Program 388,019 

DAN00149 Project Review 2011—Dual Purpose Crop 4,525 

DAN00155 Barley Scald Nursery—New South Wales Department of Primary Industry 57,794 

DAN00163 Australian Durum Wheat Improvement Program 1,200,000 

DAQ00175 Barley Breeding Continuation—Northern Region 973,692 

DAS00091 National oat-breeding program for milling and feed end uses 823,300 

DAS00102 Breeding stem rust resistant oat using wild avena species 100,000 

DAS00124 Cost effective doubled haploids for accelerated wheat and oat breeding 60,000 

DAW00186 Barley quality—barley grain defects (blackpoint, pre-harvest sprouting, kernel staining) 210,000 

DAW00187 

Department of Agriculture and Food Western Australia–Tasmanian Institute of 

Agricultural Research—China Barley Collaboration 

360,000 

JCR00002 Project Review 2011—Dual Purpose Crop 21,462 

KEN00002 Future of the South East Australian Barley Advisory Committees 5,000 

MPC00004 Wheat Breeding Liaison 15,000 

PRO00002 Barley Australia—Directors 10,000


SCH00001 Future of the South Australian Barley Advisory Committee 2,161 

TW00003 Project Review 2011—Dual Purpose Crop 8,000 

UA00032 Barley Breeding Australia—southern node 1,800,000 

UA00108 Barley quality: Characterisation of genetic variation for alpha amylase alleles 113,492 

US00049 National Triticale Improvement Program 764,952 

UT00017 Biochemistry and genetics of protein modification and fermentability of malting barley 290,202 

UWA00118 Barley improvement through germplasm—coordination, introduction and evaluation 184,686 

WCA00002 Pilot Malting Australia (Australian Export Grains Innovation Centre Program 5)— 

Interim funding 

67,687 

WQA00002 Wheat variety classification services 400,000 

Wheat and Barley Breeding Total 9,639,648 

Pulse, Oilseed and Summer Coarse Grains 

BAR00001 Program Review 2011—Pulse Breeding Australia Lupin Breeding Program 5,889 

BRE00003 Program Review 2011—Pulse Breeding Australia Lupin Breeding Program 10,000 

CSP00104 Australian Soybean Breeding Program 450,000 

CSP00157 Australian Soybean Breeding Program 500,000 

DAN00108 National Brassica Germplasm Improvement Program 300,000 

DAN00139 

DAN00140 

Improving food quality and end use market acceptance of Australian pulses—cooking 

and sensory 

New tools and germplasm for Australian pulse breeding programs to respond to 

changing virus threats 


100,000 

DAN00157 Evaluating remaining albus lupin breeding material at Wagga Wagga 50,000 

DAN00158 Increasing market value of canola through improved quality traits 199,862 

DAQ00155 Maize germplasm enhancement and productivity improvement 154,896 

DAS00086 New vetch varieties for grain and hay production for Australian farmers 10,000 

DAS00107 Development of herbicide-tolerant pulses 199,813 

DAS00108 Improving yield and reliability of field peas under water deficit 150,000 

DAS00112 Lupin evaluation for eastern Australia 100,000 

DAS00113 Pulse Breeding Australia: PhD—Improving metribuzin tolerance in lentil 30,000 

DAS00117 

New common and woolly pod vetch varieties for grain and hay/silage production for 

Australian farmers 

21,550 

DAS00120 Pulse germplasm enhancement—National coordination 25,000 

DAS00121 Pulse germplasm enhancement—Abiotic stresses 250,000 

DAV00085 Australian Canola Germplasm Enhancement Program 330,000 

DAV00110 Pulse Breeding Australia: PhD—Improving salinity tolerance of field pea 30,000 

DAV00114 Improving food quality and end-use acceptance of Australian pulses 120,500 

DAW00181 National lupin breeding for southern Australia 1,205,600 

FWC00002 Coordinator for Pulse Breeding Australia 66,000 

FWC00003 Assist the GRDC in monitoring and evaluating Progress Reports 16,000 

GRD4-8-1 Program Review 2011—Pulse Breeding Australia Lupin Breeding Program 1,142 

GUI00001 Program Review 2011—Pulse Breeding Australia Lupin Breeding Program 6,000 

MGP00003 Australian National Blackleg Resistance Rating System 125,000 

PCA00001 Australian Peanut Genetic Improvement Program 680,000 

PCA00002 Investigations into off-flavour contamination in peanuts 102,000 

163 


164 


Appendices 


PRO00003 Program Review 2011—Pulse Breeding Australia Lupin Breeding Program 5,843 

RWF00020 Program Review 2012—Lupin Industry 9,600 

UM00034 

Identification of resistance genes in Australian canola cultivars through development of a 

differential set of blackleg isolates 


UM00045 Expanding the Brassica Germplasm Base through collaboration with China and India 600,000 

UQ00051-DAQ Sorghum core breeding 1,275,000 

UQ00065 Crop modelling support for the Australian grains industry 80,000 

UWA00132 

Interspecific hybrids in lupins—stabilisation and trait transfer to fixed lines for lupin crop 

improvement 

150,009 

UWA00140 Biotechnology tools to accelerate lupin and lentil improvement 180,000 

UWA00153 Lupin Economic Analysis 14,000 

VIT00001 Juncea canola development for Australia 300,000 

Pulse, Oilseed and Summer Coarse Grains Total 8,103,034 

VARIETIES TOTAL 55,118,273 

NEW PRODUCTS 

Cross New Products 

GRD27-1 The assessment of International Commercial Wheat Yield Technology 196,250 

NP45-1 Commercialisation 46,543 

NP99-1 Conceptual scoping and market intelligence 41,175 

Cross New Products Total 283,968 

New Farm Products and Services 

AGL00016 

Diffusive Gradients in Thin films (DGT) business case—extension into sulphur and 

potassium (K&S) 

AGL00017 Benchmarking for the Nitrogen Fixation Program 100,000 

AME00001 Evaluation of the Harrington Weed Seed Destructor 1,900 

BBE00015 Wheat Variety Identification 15,625 

BBE00016 Barley Variety Identification DNA Quality Testing—continuation 21,173 

BBE00017 Novozymes Biologicals Australia—Independent Director and Chairman 23,374 

BBE00018 Scoping of ryegrass herbicide testing technology 6,250 

BPC00001 Joint Market Development Diffusive Gradients in Thin films—Phosphorus Pilot Project 130,000 

BRI00040 A new baking process for Asia 240,100 

BRI00045 Australian wheat for China 285,700 

CAD00001 Registration and commercialisation of new chemicals (72,616) 

CAD00002 Registration and commercialisation of new chemicals—continuation 8,472 

CCP00003 Developing a strategy for commercialising the MEMS IR technology 16,000 

CSE00056 Bio-routes to urea fertilisers 415,887 

CSA00031 

DAN00145 

Next Generation Beneficial Microbes—quantifying disease control efficacy, 

environmental persistence and microbial community impacts 

National independent quality assurance and germplasm maintenance for 

Rhizobium inoculants 

6,250 

111,969 

155,548 

DAN00154 Wheat Collection for Variety Identification 20,000 

DAR00006 Wheat Variety Identification DNA Quality Testing 182,200 

DAR00007 Wheat Variety Identification DNA Quality Testing—Phases 2 and 3 180,300


DAS00110 Novel products to control plant pathogens in broadacre crops 227,452 

ECE00002 Supply of formulated nematode products 11,855 

GGL00001 

The economic value of functional characteristics of Australian wheat in selected 

Asian markets 

289,100 

GTL00001 Endophyte technologies for modern cereals 420,000 

IMB00001 Insecticidal peptides from natural predators 399,950 

LUN00001 Reducing the impact of the parasitic root lesion nematode on cereal crops 449,918 

MLC00001 Report on key issues in objective pulse measurement 7,000 

NP72-1 Barley variety identification 449 

NP81-1 Variety Identification for Wheat 44,880 

QUT00004 A new biopesticide for Diamondback Moth management in canola 149,618 

QUT00005 New technology for stored grain pest management 210,177 

RMI00005 

Polymer functional architectures at the bio-interface to control soil–water–nutrient 

behaviour during plant growth 

298,680 

SAC00001 Use of polymers as biopesticides 97,162 

SEP00010 Enzyme brewing—The catalyst for a new export barley market 140,501 

UA00135 Improved functionality of grain storage products 99,911 

UA00137 Evaluation of the field efficacy of beneficial microbial products 80,545 

UCS00013 Biological control of pest snails in Australia using native nematodes 353,427 

UCS00016 Biopesticides for the Australian grains industry 240,152 

UF00007 

Beneficial Microbes Program—progressing new microbial products for Australian grain 

production to commercialisation 

235,395 

UM00040 Increasing feed grain digestibility: probiotics and enzyme additives 225,630 

UMU00032 

National Rhizobium Program—Managing rhizobia to maximise nitrogen fixation by 

legumes in agriculture 

510,000 

UNE00016 Attract-and-kill technology for diamondback moth 150,308 

UNE00017 Coordination—Nitrogen Fixation in Farming Systems 30,000 

UQ00061 Fertiliser from Wastes Phase II 250,286 

US00050 

Formulation and application of beneficial microbial inoculants for agriculturally 

important crops 

133,810 

USA00008 Weed seed termination method of harvest 21,875 

USA00010 Mechanical weed seed termination at harvest 293,766 

USA00012 

UT00018 

A scoping study of engineering solutions for soil and plant sensing using 

infrared technology 

Microbial T-RFLP (terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism) screening as 

a solution for premature yeast flocculation (PYF) assurance for malt and malting 

barley exports 

229,853 

73,244 

UT00023 The suitability for barley brewing of Australian barley varieties 134,828 

UWA00113 

Demonstration of UWA microspectrometer technology for assessment of soil and grain 

parameters in broadacre agriculture 

199,500 

New Farm Products and Services Total 7,857,404 

165 

GRDC Annual Report 2011–2012 Appendix B—GRDC project list 

New Grain Products 

BAR00002 Independent Evaluation of Ultra Low Gluten Research and Development Program 5,374 

BTC00001 The approval of Australian sweet lupins for food use in overseas markets 17,625 

CFF00002 Novel mechanisms for enhancing wheat yield and quality 517,411 

CFF00005 Novel mechanisms for enhancing wheat yield and quality 478,110

166 


Appendices 


CFF00006 Novel mechanisms for enhancing yield in wheat and maize 32,193 

CSE00049 Crop Biofactories Initiative 2—Joint Innovation Agreement 1,703,564 

CSP00145 Omega-3 Canola Collaborative research project 900,000 

CSP00152 Use of dough improvers in grain quality testing 85,165 

CSP00153 Coeliac Friendly Cereals—Phase 5 303,067 

CUR00007 Superior quality lupin breads using low-protein wheat flour 35,000 

CUR00009 Modeling processing of bread dough and bread texture—a structural mechanics approach 55,000 

DAN00153 Northern NSW safflower evaluation and seed increase 139,996 

GOG00001 Go Grains—Membership Subscription 250,000 

GOG00006 Go Grains—Health & Nutrition 100,000 

JCS00004 

Review of the Australian feed grain industry looking at industry trends and R&D 

completed in the area of feed grains 

15,000 

JCS00006 Canola Meal Quality and Usage in Animal Feed 2,400 

NP83-1 Safflower germplasm improvement program 10,074 

NP89-1 Communicating the value of feed grain—National component 7,143 

NPB00004 Grain Hygiene Program for CRC for National Plant Biosecurity 1,800,000 

NPB00012 Core participation seed funding for the CRC for National Plant Biosecurity 2,500 

NUM00001 Review of commercial opportunities for high lutein wheat 4,385 

PCL00005 

Enhancing near-infrared spectroscopy calibrations for predicting the nutritional value of 

grains for livestock 

25,859 

PCL00008 Pork CRC Projects related to grain handling and statistical analysis 120,000 

PNP00001 Increasing the value and marketability of feed grains for the grains industry 95,000 

RCL00001 Grain Foods CRC Ltd—Directors 12,980 

SED00002 Development, planning and conducting two Feedgrain Workshops 17,472 

SMC00001 Go Grains Health & Nutrition Limited—Director 25,442 

UCS00015 Canola proteins for optimal food functionality 57,250 

WJM00005 Coordination of Registration of Grain Storage Chemicals and Codex Attendance 76,689 

New Grain Products Total 6,894,699 

NEW PRODUCTS TOTAL 15,036,071 

COMMUNICATION & CAPACITY BUILDING 

Building Research Capacity 

ARL00007 Australian Rural Leadership Foundation 100,000 

ATA97 Agricultural Training Award (ATA)— to study at the WA College of Agriculture, Cunderdin 12,000 

ATA98 ATA—to study at the Longerenong College, Victoria 12,000 

ATA99 ATA—to study at the Tocal College, CB Alexander Campus, Paterson 12,000 

CSP00147 CSIRO Summer Student Program 35,000 

DAF00002 Science and Innovation Awards for Young People in Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry 20,000 

GRS10004 

GRS10026 

Grains Industry Research Scholarship (GIRS)—(ANU) Identifying novel epigenetic 

components that regulate seed size in a model plant, Arabidopsis 

GIRS—(UA) Assessing management options for enhancing soil phosphorus availability 

using rotations 

27,145 

27,145 

GRS10027 GIRS—(UWA) Phosphorus use efficiency of Austrodanthonia 27,145


GRS10028 GIRS—(UMU) Genetic factors and genes underpinning drought response in wheat 27,145 

GRS10029 GIRS—(UCS) Manipulation of phosphorus sorption in agricultural soils 27,145 

GRS10031 GIRS—(UA) Use of novel wheat (waxy durum) in baking applications 27,145 

GRS10034 GIRS—(UA) Identification of the controller of nitrate transport in maize 27,145 

GRS10035 GIRS—(CUR) Minimising fungicide resistance 27,145 

GRS10036 

GIRS—(USQ) Inter-relationships between Bipolaris sorokiniana isolates involved in spot 

blotch, common root rot and black point in winter cereals 

GRS10037 GIRS—(UWA) Evolved glyphosate resistance in wild radish (Raphanus raphanistrum L) 

populations with the use of glyphosate-resistant GM canola 

27,145 

27,145 

GRS10038 GIRS—(US) Enhancing plant nutrition with rhizosphere microorganisms 27,145 

GRS10039 

GRS10040 

GRS10041 

GRS10042 

GIRS—(UWA) Unravelling the cause of black pod disease of narrow-leafed lupin and 

developing a control solution 

GIRS—(UF) Examining the role of sucrose transporter SUT1 in increasing yield and iron/ 

zinc content in barley 

GIRS—(UQ) Understanding abiotic stress impacts on cereal starch structure and valueadded 

quality through genetic and environmental screening 

GIRS—(CUR) The integration and validation of precision management tools for mixed 

farming systems 

27,145 

27,145 

27,145 

27,145 

GRS10044 GIRS—(UA) Evaluating the salt tolerance of transgenic wheat and barley 27,145 

GRS10045 

GIRS—(UQ) Genetic variability and physiological mechanisms controlling time to 

flowering in wheat under high temperatures 

27,145 

GRS10061 GIRS—(CUR) Comparative genomics of necrotrophic fungal pathogens 27,145 

GRS10063 

GRS10248 

GRS10249 

GRS10258 

GRS10259 

GRS10263 

GRS10268 

GRS10275 

GRS10290 

GRS10329 

GRS10335 

GIRS—(RMIT) Bread-making procedure, product digestibility and impact on sensibility 

to gluten proteins 

GIRS—(US) Regulation and long-distance movement of nutrient starvation-responsive 

plant microRNAs 

GIRS—(UQ) Functional pathogen genomics and characterisation of 

the infection mechanisms of the wheat and barley crown rot pathogen, 

Fusarium pseudograminearum 

GIRS—(US) Characterising potential symbiosome membrane proteins essential to the 

legume–rhizobium symbiosis 

GIRS—(UA) (1,3;1,4)-?-D-glucan biosynthesis in the Poaceae: Exploring transcriptional 

regulation, associated expression and specific activities of biosynthetic enzymes 

GIRS—(UA) Effect of small amounts of ammonium on the total nitrogen nutrition and on 

overall nutrition of maize 

GIRS—(UMU) Wheat potassium nutrition in saline and/or sodic soils and in droughtprone 

environments 

GIRS—(UWA) The use of potassium to improve water usage, growth and yield of canola 

in European high-yielding and Australian low-yielding farming systems 

GIRS—(RMIT) Forms, analysis and stability of vitamin E and selenium in grains and grain 

products 

GIRS—(ANU) Investigating the role of root architecture regulators as mediators of 

environmental information in root development 

GIRS—(UA) Foliar Fertilisation Of Wheat Plants—Phosphorus in Combination with 

Other Nutrients 

27,145 

7,599 

2,083 

10,424 

13,898 

13,898 

13,898 

13,898 

9,265 

10,424 

10,424 

GRS10336 GIRS—(US) Genetics of Biofortified Wheat 13,799 

GRS134 

GIRS—(UF) Characterising the molecular basis of the beneficial plant: endophytic 

actinobacteria relationship 

21,500 

GRS135 GIRS—(US) The physiological mechanisms for desiccation tolerance in Rhizobia 15,000 

GRS137 

GIRS—(UF) Investigating the differences between R protein activation in 

monocotyledonous (Wheat) and dicotyledonous (Flax) plant species 

9,945 

167 


168 


Appendices 


GRS138 GIRS—(US) Genetic improvement of grain quality for bread making in triticale 30,000 

GRS139 GIRS—(US) Rust resistance in cultivated barley (Hordeum vulgare) 5,000 

GRS140 GIRS—(UCS) The relationship between earliness and vigour in cereals 15,000 

GRS141 

GIRS—(UQ) Investigation of techniques to rapidly introgress new genes into adapted 

cereal cultivars 

16,170 

GRS145 GIRS—(ULA) Regulation of the XERO2 gene in Arabidopsis 15,000 

GRS147 

GIRS—(UCS) Investigation of the use of biochar to enhance soil physical and chemical 

properties under dryland cropping 

15,000 

GRS150 GIRS—(US) Metallic nanoparticle phytosynthesis 17,500 

GRS151 

GRS152 

GRS153 

GRS154 

GRS155 

GRS157 

GRS159 

GIRS—(UMO) The effect of adsorption of the properties and structure of 

nanostructured emulsions 

GIRS—(UQ) Development and validation of molecular disease resistance markers for 

use in lucerne breeding 

GIRS—(UWA) The effect of biochar on soil nitrogen cycling and associated soil 

biological community 

GIRS—(UMO) Integrated and sustainable control of pest mite and aphid species in the 

context of climate change 

GIRS—(UT) The effect of crop rotation and irrigation on water use efficiency and soil 

health of grain crop production in Tasmania 

GIRS—(UCS) Improved drought avoidance for water-limited environments in 

Australian wheat 

GIRS—(UQ) Improved knowledge of crown rot pathogen biology and toxigenicity to 

safeguard market assess of wheat 

17,500 

7,500 

20,000 

32,500 

28,750 

25,000 

22,500 

GRS160 GIRS—(UA) Phoma koolunga: biology and role in ascochyta blight of field peas 32,500 

GRS161 

GRS163 

GRS165 

GIRS—(ULA) The role of intracellular localisation signals in NHX antiporter regulation 

in Arabidopsis 

GIRS—(UWA) Exploring the impact of salt stress on respiration and mitochondrial 

function in wheat varieties 

GIRS—(UWA) Generation of homozygosity and genome fixation in field pea 

(Pisum sativum L.) 

30,000 

30,000 

30,000 

GRS167 GIRS—(UA) Late maturity alpha-amylase in wheat 20,000 

GRS171 

GIRS—(ANU) A biochemical approach to understanding Stagonospora nodorum 

toxin proteins 

21,875 

GRS172 GIRS—(UNE) Root vigor of cereal genotypes in response to phosphorus nutrition 30,000 

GRS174 

GIRS—(CSP) Effects of carbon dioxide on the epidemiology of crown rot infection in 

resistant and susceptible wheat cultivars 

35,000 

GRS175 GIRS—(US) Identifying site-specific crop production risk 21,875 

GRS176 

GRS177 

GRS179 

GRS180 

GRS181 

GRS183 

GRS184 

GIRS—(UA) Physiological studies on the response of wheat to short-term heat stress 

during reproductive development 

GIRS—(UWA) Costs and benefits of different options for WA farmers to mitigate 

greenhouse gas emissions 

GIRS—(ULA) Homeostatic sensing and feedback regulations of sodium-proton 

antiporter expression in Arabidopsis 

GIRS—(US) The basis of chickpea heat tolerance under semi-arid environments in India 

and Australia 

GIRS—(UA) Confirmation and characterisation of a Na+ (sodium) exclusion gene 

in barley 

GIRS—(UWA) Uncovering changes in the molecular networks of protein oxidation 

underpinning cereal crop responses to environmental stress 

GIRS—(ANU) Gene regulation in plant adaptation to stressful environments and 

drought conditions 

30,000 

21,875 

30,000 

21,875 

30,000 

21,875 

21,875


GRS185 

GIRS—(CUR) The effect of heat treatment and processing techniques on the quality of 

Australian sweet lupin flour 

14,375 

GRS186 GIRS—(UCS) Investigating the fungal endophyte Neotyphodium occultans 26,875 

GRS187 

GIRS—(UMU) Investigating the method of action of plant growth promoting rhizosphere 

bacteria-enhancing nodulation in legumes 

27,145 

GTA10247 Travel Award (TA)—(UQ) to attend the Plant & Animal Genome XX Conference 2012 2,000 

GTA10250 TA—(UQ) to attend and present at the Plant and Animal Genome XX Conference 2012 2,000 

GTA10252 

GTA10253 

GTA10255 

TA—(UM) IIIrd International Ascochyta workshop and scientific discussions with the 

Cordoba University Ascochyta rabiei team 

TA—(ACPFG) Gordon Research Conference-Plant Molecular Biology and lab visiting 

after conference 

TA—(ACPFG) Vienna International Plant Conference Association—Plant Growth, 

Nutrition and Environment Interactions 

GTA10267 TA—(UA) to attend the Plant and Animal Genome XX Conference 2012 2,000 

GTA10281 TA—(CUR) Research exchange 2,500 

GTA10282 TA—(UQ) to attend and present at the Plant and Animal Genome XX Conference 2012 2,000 

GTA10283 TA—(UA) Weed Science Society of America 2012 Annual Meeting 2,607 

GTA10340 

TA—(UQ) Keynote Speaker for the Ecological Society of Australia Conference in Hobart, 

21–24 November 2011 

GTA10348 TA—(CSP) International Plant Molecular Biology Congress 1,941 

GTA10361 TA—(SANTFA) Bus Trip to New South Wales 15,000 

GTA10368 TA—(UA) Conference Travel to America and visits to researchers to strike up collaboration 5,000 

GTA10377 

TA—(UWS) The Third Australian–China Wheat Genetics and Breeding Forum—Climate 

change ready wheat cultivars for Australia and China 

GTA10385 TA—(CUR) To present a paper at the 16th Australian Agronomy Conference 2,112 

IPR00003 Vavilov–Frankel Fellowship 21,588 

ITA00001 Indigenous Training Award (ITA)—to study at University of Western Australia 10,000 

ITA00002 ITA—to study at Longerenong College, Victoria 10,000 

ITA00003 ITA—to study at South West TAFE, Victoria 10,000 

NUF00009 Nuffield Australia Farming Scholarships 150,000 

NYC00002 Advisory Council of the National Science Summer School Inc 15,935 

NYS00002 National Youth Science Forum 50,000 

UHS10224 

Undergraduate Honours Scholarship (UHS)—(UNE) Application of mixed waste organic 

outputs to cropping soils—potential benefits and pitfalls: impacts on soil carbon 

storage, function and nutrition 

2,000 

2,700 

2,700 

1,575 

3,200 

10,000 

UHS10225 UHS—(UM) Leptosphaeria effectors, key determinants of blackleg disease of canola 10,000 

UHS10226 UHS—(UWA) Economic impact of soil borne diseases over the entire rotation sequence 10,000 

UHS10228 UHS—(UT) Effect of irrigation and nitrogen supply on water use efficiency of barley 10,000 

UHS10229 

UHS10232 

UHS—(ANU) Analysing the production risks in the white grain pathogen 

Botryosphaeria zeae 

UHS—(UWA) Effect and economic benefit of rate of soil wetting agent in gravelly loam 

pasture and cropping systems 

10,000 

10,000 

UHS10234 UHS—(UF) Interactions of actinobacteria with rhizobia 10,000 

UHS10235 

UHS—(US) In-crop assessment of soil microbial communities following 

compost application 

10,000 

UHS10236 UHS—(UWA) An economic assessment of on-farm storage in Western Australia 10,000 

UHS10237 

UHS—(UQ) A quantitative approach relating crown rot resistance to water use efficiency 

and grain yield in wheat (Triticum aestivum) 

10,000 

169 


170 


Appendices 


UHS10238 

UHS—(UNE) Application of mixed waste organic outputs to cropping soils—potential 

benefits and pitfalls: impacts on soil biology and function 

10,000 

UHS10241 UHS—(USA) Image fusion for phenotypic analysis of plant images 10,000 

UHS10242 

UHS10244 

UHS—(UA) Can rye genes be used to ‘supercharge’ aluminium tolerance in wheat and 

barley?—A transgenic approach to dissect biochemical and biological properties of 

organic anion transporters from rye and wheat 

UHS—(ANU) An analysis of gamma-aminobutyric acid metabolism in the wheat 

pathogen Stagonospora nodorum 

10,000 

10,000 

UHS10338 UHS—(QUT) Immigration levels of C.ferrugineus 10,000 

UHS10356 UHS—(UCS) Pulse Breeding Australia Health Benefits of Australian Pulses 11,250 

UHS10360 UHS—(UCS) Pulse Breeding Australia Health Benefits of Australian Pulses 11,250 

US00056 

US00057 

US00058 

US00059 

Research Project 1: Superior water use efficiency through improved leaf 

mesophyll conductance 

Identification of genetic variation for heat tolerance in wheat germplasm of relevance 

to the northern grains region 

Capacity building to support research and plant breeding at the IA Watson Grains 

Research Centre 

Research Capacity Building: GRDC Senior Lectureship in Agronomy/Plant–Soil–Microbe 

Interactions 

455,991 

1,248,030 

1,931,917 

147,168 

US00060 Research Capacity Building: GRDC Senior Lectureship in Agronomy/Crop Physiology 147,168 

US00061 

Identification of wheat breeding targets to enhance soil function for efficient nutrient and 

water use 

219,858 

UT00019 Primary Industry Centre for Science Education—Phase 3 195,000 

Building Research Capacity Total 6,471,865 

Corporate Communications 

AAC00006 Conference Sponsorship (CS)—Australian Grains Industry Conference 2012 10,000 

ADE00001 Salt-affected soils booklet 25,000 

ANV00009 Ground Cover TV—National 300,000 

ANV00010 Ground Cover TV—Electronic Direct Mail and Web Based Content 10,500 

BAE00019 

CS—Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences Outlook 

Conference 2012 

BER00010 International Grains Research Review 60,000 

BER00011 Australian Grains Focus 17,500 

CAN00003 

Warehousing and distribution of the GRDC’s publications, periodicals and promotional 

material 2009–2012 

7,273 

60,000 

CCS49-1 Advertisements for GRDC Regional Communication Services 9,350 

CFM00009 CS—Crawford Fund Annual Development Conferences 2012 10,000 

CIC00006 Western Region communicator services 155,980 

CIC00007 Northern Region communicator services 155,979 

CIC00014 Issues-based communication—High-rainfall zone 66,255 

CIC00015 Issues-based communication—Over the Fence 78,000 

CIC00016 Issues-based communication—Panel profiles 2012 30,733 

CIC00017 Issues-based communication—Managing herbicide resistance 74,861 

CIC00018 Issues-based communication—Grain storage 1,839 

CIC00019 Issues-based communication—Mouse control 26,890 

CIC00020 Issues-based communication—Interactive broadcast 30,804 

COR00017 Ground Cover supplements 252,780


COR00018 Ground Cover newspaper 1,255,472 

COR00020 Ground Cover Direct publication catalogues 40,000 

COR00021 Repurposing of research report information for a grower audience 165,000 

COR00022 Back Pocket Guides 111,000 

COR00023 GRDC articles for Farming Ahead magazine 35,760 

COR00031 Fact Sheets for publication and website 242,500 

COR00032 Mouse control Fact Sheet 35,119 

COR00033 Grain and Graze—Phase 2 editing, design, printing and mail out of 7 regional Fact Sheets 56,828 

COR00034 Paddock Diary 2012—Mail out 41,001 

ECO00005 Climate Champions initiative 170,000 

ECO00006 Issues-based communication—Climate strategy implementation 80,000 

GCS10151 CS—Farming Ahead 2012 25,000 

GCS10291 CS—2nd Annual National Sustainable Food Summit 20,000 

GCS10292 

CS—56th Annual Conference of Australian Agricultural and Resource 

Economics Society 

GCS10293 CS—Workshop on International Durum Collaboration 15,000 

GCS10294 CS—Invigorating Agriculture; A fresh approach to a changing industry 5,000 

GCS10297 CS—16th Biennial Conference of the Australian Society of Agronomy 25,000 

GCS10298 CS— Australasian Milling Conference 2012 1,650 

GCS10299 

CS—Joint Australian Society of Soil Science Incorporated and New Zealand Society of 

Soil Science—Soil Science Conference 

5,000 

15,000 

GCS10312 CS— International Congress of Dietetics 15,000 

GCS10313 CS—22nd International Grassland Congress 10,000 

GCS10319 CS— Mallee Sustainable Farming Forum 5,000 

GCS10320 CS—South Australian Groundsprayers Association Annual Industry Day 5,000 

GCS10321 CS—South Australian No-Till Farmers Association Annual Conference 10,000 

GCS10324 CS—Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association 2012 Biennial Conference 5,000 

GCS10325 

CS—Plant Reproduction for Food 2012—22nd International Congress on 

Sexual Plant Reproduction 

10,000 

GCS10327 CS—Victorian Farmers Federation Annual Grains Conference 8,000 

GCS10328 CS—Western Australian Farmers Centenary Conference—Annual Grains Conference 8,000 

GCS10339 

GCS10341 

CS—Queensland Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Hermitage 

Research Facility Schools Plant Science Competition 

CS—South East Premium Wheat Growers Association Harvest Review and 

Season Preview 

GCS10342 CS—Outlook 2013 7,273 

GCS10343 CS—2012 AgForce State Conference 8,000 

GCS10345 CS—1st International Crown Rot Workshop for Wheat Improvement 17,000 

GCS10349 CS—Managing soil biology for better business outcomes 15,000 

GCS10350 CS—The epidemiology and management of whitefly-transmitted viruses 5,000 

GCS10354 CS—Your Irrigation Farm—Where to next? 4,500 

GCS10359 CS—Sowing the Seeds of Farmer Health 5,000 

GCS10362 CS—Pulse Breeding Australia National Pulse Conference 30,000 

GCS10374 CS—16th Australian Nitrogen Fixation Conference 7,000 

GCS10376 CS—International InterDrought—IV Conference 20,000 

3,500 

5,000 

171 


172 


Appendices 


GCS10378 

CS—10th Annual Victorian No-Till Farmers Association Conference in conjunction 

with the 1st National Conservation Agriculture Alliance of Australia and New Zealand— 

Farmers Conference 

10,000 

GCS10391 CS—Australasian Applied Statistics Conference 2012 7,500 

GCS10392 

CS—COMBIO 2012—the annual combined meeting of the major biological learned 

societies in Australia 

10,000 

GCS10393 CS—15th Precision Agriculture Symposium of Australasia 7,500 

GCS10394 CS—VIth International Conference on Legume Genetics and Genomics 10,309 

GCS10396 

CS—South East Premium Wheat Growers Association Ladies Day Out—Enterprising 

Women 2012 

GGA00002 Innovation Generation 2010—Building Supply Chain Solutions 100,000 

KDI00022 GRDC editorial in Farming Ahead magazine 27,000 

KIS00001 Kondinin Farmer of the Year Awards—Sponsorship of Grain Grower of the Year 20,000 

MAA00006 The ‘COB’ magazine 15,000 

MMO00004 Media monitoring services: Carma 49,000 

MMO00005 Media monitoring services 98,166 

OBR00003 GRDC’s Driving Agronomy Radio Program 80,000 

PIG00007 Building the human capacity of grain growers through Partners in Grain 300,000 

PNS00004 Southern Regional communicator services 241,508 

PNS00006 Issues-based communication—Productivity and profitability campaign implementation 10,000 

PNS00009 Issues-based communication—Soil biology initiative 15,009 

PNS00010 

Issues-based communication—Getting GRDC closer to growers: Australian Year 

of the Farmer 

5,000 

58,545 

PNS00012 Issues-based communication—In the field with John Harvey 45,111 

PNS00013 Issues-based communication—National RESIST communication campaign 42,285 

PNS00014 Issues-based communication—Sponsorship of National Australian Year of the Farmer 50,000 

RBC00003 Field days support and interactive displays 18,369 

RBC00004 Field days support and interactive displays 50,000 

RHC00001 Corporate brand development 63,455 

RHC00002 Barley purity and variety identification brand development 19,000 

UCS00017 Monograph series row spacing booklet 10,000 

WDM00008 Paddock Diary 2009–10, 2010–11 and 2011–12 87,600 

Corporate Communications Total 5,381,704 

COMMUNICATION & CAPACITY BUILDING TOTAL 11,853,569 

CORPORATE SERVICES 

AAA00006 Agrifood Awareness Australia Limited (2009–12) 100,000 

AEG00001-4 Australian Export Grain Innovation Centre—Selection of Chair 68,700 

AGL00015 Grains Stocks Project 19,876 

AGP2 Australian Grain Technologies Pty Ltd—independent directors 80,526 

ATR00010 2011 impact assessments 31,400 

ATR00012 Aggregate Analysis of 33 Cost-Benefit Analysis of Clusters of GRDC Research 37,100 

ATR00013 Impact Assessment—Climate Champions 15,700 

ATR00014 Ex Ante Analysis of 20 new investments commencing 2012–13 67,000 

BA00006 Barley Australia—annual subscription 22,500


BAE00017 

BAE00021 

Australian Agricultural and Grazing Industries Survey and Grains Industry Reports: 

2009–10, 2010–11 and 2011–12 

Cost of Grain Production—Supplementary survey in Australian agricultural and grazing 

industries survey 

400,000 

59,600 

BRE00004 Plain-English summary consultancy 9,600 

CCS64-1 Regional panel specific workshops 1,818 

CIN00001 Wheat Quality Australia—Director and Chair 50,285 

DCC00002 High Rainfall Zone and Canola Breeders of Western Australia—Independent Director 10,024 

DER00012 GRDC 2011 Research Partner Survey 57,325 

DER00014 GRDC 2012 Grower Survey 100,000 

GBU00001 Platform Technology 16,951 

GGL00002 Grain Growers management of Australian Bureau of Statistics grain stocks projects 235,500 

GRD16-1 Impact assessment 1,891 

GRD172 

Global Crop Diversity Trust—securing conservation and availability of GRDC mandated 

crop genetic diversity 

GRD18-1 National Research, Development and Extension Strategy 1,178 

GRD20-3 National Research, Development and Extension Strategy—Independent Director 5,646 

GRD24-1-1 Council of Rural Research and Development Corporations—expenditure 120,000 

MCC00007 Assistance with developing GRDC Strategic Research and Development Plan 2012–17 18,000 

NRS00008 Supply and delivery of Strategy Development Workshops 32,000 

PFR00002 Australian Export Grains Innovation Centre consultancy 25,732 

PFR00003 Canola Breeders Western Australia—Directors 40,673 

PRO00001 Barley Australia—Directors 25,000 

TAP00004 Australian Crop Accreditation System—Directors 28,269 

TJH00001 Agrifood Awareness Australia Limited—Directors 5,000 

CORPORATE SERVICES TOTAL 1,694,304 

GRAND TOTAL 150,230,740 

ANU = Australian National University, ACPFG = Australian Centre for Plant Functional Genomics, APH = Australian Prime Hard Wheat, 

ATA = Agricultural Training Award, CIMMYT = International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center, CRC = cooperative research 

centre, CRM = customer relationship management system, CS = Conference Sponsorship, CSIRO = Commonwealth Scientific and 

Industrial Organisation, CSP = CSIRO Plant Industry, CUR = Curtin University of Technology, Western Australia, DAFWA = Department 

of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia, DGT films = diffusive gradients in thin films, EDM = electronic direct mail, GGA = Grower 

Group Alliance, GIRS = Grains Industry Research Scholarship, GM = genetically modified, ICARDA = International Center for Agricultural 

Research in the Dry Areas, ICRISAT = International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics, IDA = Industry Development 

Award, ITA = Indigenous Training Award, IWM = Integrated Weeds Management, MEMS-IR = Micro-electrical mechanical systems 

infrared, NSW = New South Wales, QUT = Queensland University of Technology, R&D = research and development, RMIT = RMIT 

University, SA = South Australia, SANTFA = South Australian No-Till Farmers Association, SARDI = South Australian Research and 

Development Institute, SMS = Short Messaging Service, SNP = single-nucleotide polymorphism, TA = Travel Award, TAFE = technical 

and further education, UA = University of Adelaide, UCS = Charles Sturt University, UF = Flinders University, UHS = Undergraduate 

Honours Scholarship, ULA = La Trobe University, UM = University of Melbourne, UMO = Monash University, UMU = Murdoch University, 

UNE = University of New England, UQ = University of Queensland, US = University of Sydney, USA = University of South Australia, 

USQ = University of Southern Queensland, UT = University of Tasmania, UWA = University of Western Australia, UWS = University of 

Western Sydney, WA = Western Australia 

7,010 

173 


Summary of GRDC project expenditure 

Practices Cross Practices 118,416 

Agronomy, Soils and Environment 19,070,747 

Crop Protection 19,594,524 

Validation and Integration 19,887,050 

Extension and Grower Programs 7,857,786 

Total Practices 66,528,523 

Varieties Cross Varieties 74,800 

Gene Discovery 23,814,079 

Germplasm Enhancement 13,486,712 

Wheat and Barley Breeding 9,639,648 

174 


Pulse, Oilseed and Summer Coarse Grains 8,103,034 

Total Varieties 55,118,273 

New Products Cross New Products 283,968 

Communication & Capacity 

Building 

New Farm Products and Services 7,857,404 

New Grain Products 6,894,699 

Total New Products 15,036,071 

Building Research Capacity 6,471,865 

Corporate Communications 5,381,704 

Total Communication & Capacity Building 11,853,569 

Corporate Services Total Corporate Services 1,694,304 

GRAND TOTAL 150,230,740 

Appendices

Appendix C—Joint R&D project list 

R&D Partners Project ID Project Start Finish 

ARC, DPI VIC, GRDC, 

SARDI, UA, UM, UQ 

ACP00002 

Australian Centre for Plant Functional 

Genomics, Phase 2 

AEA, DAFF, GRDC AEA00004 South-eastern Australia Grain and 

Graze 2 Program 

ABARES, GRDC, MLA BAE00017 Australian Agricultural and Grazing 

Industries Survey and Grains Industry 

Reports: 2009–10, 2010–11 and 


ABARES, AEC, APL, ARLP, 

AWI, DAFF, DRALGAS, 

FRDC, FWPA, NUF, RIRDC 

BAE00019 

Conference Sponsorship—ABARE’s 

Outlook 2010, Outlook 2011 and 

Outlook 2012 conferences 

ABARES, MLA BAE00021 Cost of Grain Production— 

Supplementary Survey in AAGIS 

BCG, DAFF, GRDC BWD00018 Northern Victorian Grain and Graze 2 

Program 

BCG, DAFF, GRDC BWD00019 Australian farm groups demonstrating 

adaptive practices to minimise the 

impact of climate change on farm 

viability 

CRDC, GRDC CRD00003 Defining critical soil nutrient 

concentrations in soils supporting 

grains and cotton in northern NSW and 

Queensland 

CSIRO, DAFF, DAFWA, 

DEEDI, GRDC, DERM QLD, 

DPI VIC, I&I NSW, SARDI, 

UNE, UWA 

1 Jan 2008 31 Dec 2012 

31 Jan 2010 31 Dec 2013 

30 Jun 2009 30 Jun 2012 

2 Mar 2010 29 Feb 2012 

31 May 2011 30 Jun 2014 

31 Jan 2010 31 Dec 2013 

31 May 2010 1 Jun 2012 


CSA00019 Soil Carbon Research Program 1 Jun 2009 30 Jun 2012 

CSIRO, DAFF, GRDC, UM CSA00022 Developing climate change resilient 

cropping and mixed cropping–grazing 

businesses in Australia 

CSIRO, DAFWA, DEEDI, 

GRDC, UQ 

AEC, APL, CSIRO, DA, 

GRDC, MLA, PRC 

CSIRO, DAFWA, DEEDI, 

GRDC, UM, UQ 

CSE00051 

CSP00118 


Pest suppressive landscapes—linking 

integrated pest management and natural 


Australian Feed Grain Partnership 

sorghum project 

Adapting wheat to future warm and 

dry climates—improved simulation of 

flowering and tillering 



1 Oct 2008 30 Sep 2010 


CSIRO, Nuseed CSP00145 Omega-3 Canola Collaboration 1 Jul 2010 30 Jun 2015 

CSIRO, DAFF, DAFWA, 

DEEDI, DERM, DPI VIC, 

GRDC, I&I NSW, SARDI, 

UNE, UWA 

DAF00001 

Australia’s Farming Future: Climate 

Change Research Program 

DAFF, GRDC DAF00002 Science and Innovation Awards for 

Young People in Agriculture, Fisheries 

and Forestry 

BCG, DAFF, DAFWA, 

DEEDI, DPI VIC, GRDC 

DAF00003 

National Adaptation and Mitigation 

Initiative coordination project 

CRDC, DPI NSW, GRDC DAN00121 Helicoverpa insecticide resistance: 

monitoring, mechanisms and 

management 2 

1 Apr 2009 30 Sep 2012 

1 Jul 2009 30 Jun 2013 


1 Jul 2008 30 Jun 2011 

175 

GRDC Annual Report 2011–2012 Appendix C—Joint R&D project list

176 


Appendices 


GRDC, SRDC DAQ00129 Improving the integration of legumes in 

grain and sugarcane farming systems in 

southern Queensland 

CRDC, DEEDI, GRDC DAQ00148 Defining critical soil nutrient 

concentrations in soils supporting 

grains and cotton in northern NSW and 

Queensland 

1 Jul 2008 30 Jun 2012 


DAFF, DEEDI, GRDC DAQ00162 Grain and Graze 2—Northern Region 1 Apr 2010 31 Dec 2013 

DAFF, DEEDI, GRDC DAQ00163 Participatory adaptation and mitigation 

strategies for climate change on the 

mixed farms of north-eastern Australia 

DEEDI, GRDC, SRDC DAQ00173 Evaluating the role of brassica crops in 

south-west Queensland and northern 

NSW grain cropping systems 

DEEDI, GRDC, SRDC DAQ00174 Cropping solutions for the sugarcane 

farming systems of the Burdekin 

GRDC, RIRDC DAS00091 National Oat Breeding Program for 

milling and feed end uses 

CU, GRDC, HAL, SARDI, 

UA, UM 

DAS00094 

Diamondback moth (Plutella xylostella) 

control and insecticide resistance 

management 

GRDC, RIRDC DAS00117 New common and woolly pod vetch 

varieties for grain and hay/silage 

production for Australian farmers 

DAFF, DPI VIC, GRDC DAV00096 Decreasing nitrous oxide emissions in 

high-rainfall cropping systems 

DA, DAFF, DPI VIC, GRDC DAV00097 The potential of inhibitors for the 

mitigation of nitrous oxide emissions 

from animal production systems, in 

south-eastern Australia 

DAFF, DPI VIC, GRDC DAV00108 Demonstrating climate change mitigation 

and adaptation options through linked 

and integrated cropping farms in Victoria 

DAFF, GRDC DAV00121 Sustaining wheat yield and quality under 

increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide 

DAFF, DAFWA, GRDC DAW00202 Demonstrating adaptation to climate 

change in the wheatbelt of WA through 

innovative on-farm and virtual farm 

approaches 

DAFF, GRDC DEF00001 Regional scenario analyses for cropping 

in future climates 

DA, GRDC DRD00002 Improving the utilisation of red wheat by 

lactating dairy cows 

DAFF, DEEDI, DERM, 

GRDC, QUT 

ERM00001 

Reducing nitrous oxide emissions from 

sugarcane lands 


1 May 2011 30 Apr 2014 

1 Jun 2011 31 May 2015 


1 Mar 2009 30 Jun 2012 

30 Jun 2011 30 Jun 2014 

30 Jun 2009 30 Dec 2012 



1 Jul 2011 30 Jun 2014 


1 Dec 2011 30 Nov 2014 

1 Jan 2009 1 Jan 2012 

15 Mar 2009 30 Dec 2012 

DAFF, FG, GRDC FGI00007 Grain and Graze 2—WA region 1 Apr 2010 31 Dec 2013 

DAFF, FR, GRDC FLR00006 Grain and Graze 2—Building resilient 

mixed farming systems in southern NSW 

DA, DAFWA, GRDC, HAL, 

MLA, RIRDC, SRDC 





MCV00006 

MCV00007 

MCV00008 

Assessing and managing heat stress in 

cereals 

Teleconnections between climate 

drivers and regional climate, and model 

representation of links 

Improving forecast accuracy, especially 

with improved Indian Ocean initialisation 

1 Apr 2010 31 Dec 2013 

1 Jul 2008 30 Jun 2013 

31 May 2010 31 May 2013 

31 May 2010 31 May 2013








DA, GRDC, HAL, MLA, 

RIRDC, SRDC 

DA,GRDC, HAL, MLA, 

RIRDC, SRDC 


RIRDC, SRDC 


RIRDC, SRDC 


RIRDC, SRDC 


RIRDC, SRDC 


RIRDC, SRDC 


RIRDC, SRDC 


RIRDC, SRDC 


RIRDC, SRDC 

DA, HAL, MLA, RIRDC, 

SRDC 

MCV00009 Improving multiweek predictions 1 Oct 2009 30 Sep 2012 

MCV00010 

MCV00013 

MCV00014 

MCV00017 

MCV00022 

MCV00023 

MCV00024 

MCV00028 

MCV00029 

MCV00030 

MCV00031 

Understanding frost risk in a variable and 

changing climate 

Temperature extremes and cropping 

in WA 

Managing Climate Variability— 

communication support 


communication support and 

administration 

Managing Climate Variability—program 

officer 

Managing Climate Variability—program 

management committee 


independent chair 

Managing Climate Variability—climate 

analyser decision support system tools 

Specifying Australia’s climate variability in 

the context of a changing climate 

Adding value to climate risk 

management decision support systems 

Predictions of heat extremes on the 

multiweek timescale 

30 Jun 2010 30 Dec 2012 

1 Mar 2010 28 Feb 2013 

1 Jul 2008 30 Jun 2013 

1 Jul 2008 30 Jun 2013 

1 Jul 2008 30 Sep 2011 

1 Jul 2008 30 Jun 2013 

1 Jul 2009 30 Jun 2011 

1 Dec 2010 30 Aug 2012 

30 Jun 2011 30 Jun 2012 

1 Jan 2011 30 Jun 2012 

30 Jun 2011 31 Dec 2013 

MCV00032 Northern Australia—monsoon prediction 1 May 2011 30 Apr 2013 

MCV00033 

Managing Climate Variability Program— 

Climate Champion 

CBH, GC, CRCNPB, Viterra NPB00004 Grain Hygiene Program for Cooperative 

Research Centre for National Plant 

Biosecurity 

1 Jun 2012 30 Jun 2013 


DAFF, GRDC, NRS NRS00005 National leadership and mentoring 1 Jul 2009 30 Jun 2013 

ANU, CSIRO, DEST, 

GRDC, UNSW, UQ, UWA 

NYS00002 National Youth Science Forum 1 Jul 2011 30 Jun 2015 

DEEDI, GRDC, PRC, UQ PCL00006 Dedicated Feed Grain Production 

Systems: An assessment of wheat, 

barley and triticale systems in Australia 

DEEDI, GRDC, PRC, UQ PCL00008 Pork CRC Projects related to Grain 

handling and statistical analysis 

GRDC, PNP, SAGIT PNP00001 Increasing the value and marketability of 

feed grains for the grains industry 

ACIAR, GRDC PR93 5th World Congress of Conservation 

Agriculture 2011 

DAFF, GRDC, QUT QUT00002 Integrated data and synthesis framework 

for reducing nitrous oxide emissions 

from Australian agricultural soils 

DAFF, GRDC, QUT QUT00003 Reducing nitrous oxide emissions in 

irrigated grains–cotton farming systems 

CRDC, FRDC, GRDC, 

RIRDC, SRDC 

RDC00004 

Collaborative partnership for farming and 

fishing health and safety 

1 Jul 2011 30 Jun 2012 

1 Jul 2011 30 Jun 2014 

1 Jul 2010 30 Jun 2013 





GRDC, RIRDC RDC00006 Investing in Youth initiative 1 Jan 2010 31 Dec 2013 

GRDC, RIRDC RDC00007 Sustainable food and fibre program 15 Apr 2011 30 Sep 2011 

177 

GRDC Annual Report 2011–2012 Appendix C—Joint R&D project list

178 


Appendices 


DAFF, GRDC, ROE ROE00001 Evaluation activities for Grain and 

Graze 2 

DAFF, GRDC, SFS SFS00020 Southern Victorian Grain and Graze 2 

Program 

GRDC, SRDC SRD00002 Contribution to DAQ00129 Improving 

the integration of legumes in grain and 

sugarcane farming systems in southern 

Queensland 

DAFF, DERM, GRDC, 

SRDC 

SRD00003 

Reducing nitrous oxide emissions from 

sugarcane lands 

1 Jul 2009 30 Jun 2014 

31 Jan 2010 31 Dec 2013 


15 Mar 2009 30 Jun 2012 

GRDC, SRDC SRD00004 Water use efficiency 1 Jul 2010 30 Jun 2014 

DPI VIC, GRDC, UA UA00111 Developing chemical methods to 

mobilise fixed nutrients in cropping soils 

30 Jun 2009 31 Dec 2013 

DAFF, GRDC, UA UA00117 Eyre Peninsula Grain and Graze 2 31 Mar 2010 31 Dec 2013 

DAFF, GRDC, UM UM00037 Enhanced efficiency fertilisers as 

mitigation tools for reducing greenhouse 

gas emissions from intensive agricultural 

systems in Australia 

DAFF, DPI NSW, GRDC, 

UNE 

GRDC, UT, UWA, CUR, UF, 

UNE, USQ, USC, CRDC, 

UCS 

UNE00012 

UT00019 

Mitigating nitrous oxide emissions from 

soils using pulses and improved nitrogen 

management 

Primary Industry Centre for Science 

Education—Phase 3 

DAFF, GRDC, UWA UWA00131 Fertiliser management strategies for 

decreasing on-farm greenhouse gas 

emissions 


1 May 2009 30 Apr 2012 


1 Mar 2009 28 Dec 2012 

AAGIS = Australian Agricultural and Grazing Industries Survey, ABARES = Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics 

and Sciences, ACIAR = Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, AEA = Ag Excellence Alliance, AEC = Australian Egg 

Corporation, ANU = Australian National University, APL = Australian Pork Ltd, ARC = Australian Research Council, ARLP = Australian 

Rural Leadership Program, AWI = Australian Wool Innovation Ltd, BCG = Birchip Cropping Group, CBH = Cooperative Bulk Handling 

Ltd, CRCNPB = Cooperative Research Centre for National Plant Biosecurity, CRDC = Cotton Research and Development Corporation, 

CSIRO = Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, CU = Cornell University, CUR = Curtin University of Technology, 

DA = Dairy Australia, DAFF = Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, DAFWA = Department of Agriculture and Food, 

Western Australia, DEEDI = Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation, Queensland, DERM = Department 

of Environment and Resource Management, Queensland, DEST = Department of Education, Science and Training (now Department 

of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations), DPI VIC = Department of Primary Industries, Victoria, DPI NSW = Department of 

Primary Industries, New South Wales, DRALGAS = Australian Government Department of Regional Australia, Local Government, Arts 

and Sport, FG = Facey Group, FR = FarmLink Research, FRDC = Fisheries Research and Development Corporation, FWPA = Forest and 

Wood Products Australia, GC = Graincorp Operations Ltd, HAL = Horticulture Australia Ltd, I&I NSW = Industry and Investment New 

South Wales, LWA = Land and Water Australia, MLA = Meat and Livestock Australia, NRS = Nicon Rural Services, NSW = New South 

Wales, NUF = Nuffield Australia, PNP = Productive Nutrition Pty Ltd, PRC = Pork CRC Ltd, QUT = Queensland University of Technology, 

RIRDC = Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation, ROE = Roberts Evaluation Pty Ltd, SAGIT = South Australian Grains 

Industry Trust, SARDI = South Australian Research and Development Institute, SFS = Southern Farming Systems, SRDC = Sugar 

Research and Development Corporation, UA = University of Adelaide, UCS = Charles Sturt University, UF = The Flinders University 

of SA, UM = University of Melbourne, UNE = University of New England, UNSW = University of New South Wales, UQ = University of 

Queensland, USC = Southern Cross University, USQ = University of Southern Queensland, UT = University of Tasmania, UWA = University 

of Western Australia, WA = Western Australia

Appendix D—Publications 

The GRDC delivers a wide range of information products, in printed and electronic formats. 

Most of the GRDC’s electronic publications are available for download, free of charge, through the 

GRDC website. The website also provides a catalogue of GRDC publications and links to the GRDC’s 

distribution service, Ground Cover Direct. Items in print or on CD or DVD can be ordered through 

Ground Cover Direct by phone, fax, email or post. Most are available for the cost of postage and 

handling only. Some books are sold at a price, to fully or partially recover the costs of publication. 

Table 33 lists the new publications that were released in 2011–12. 

Table 33: New GRDC publications in 2011–12 

Booklets 

Adjuvants—Oils, Surfactants and Other Additives for Farm Chemicals (2012) a 

Aerating Stored Grain—Cooling or Drying for Quality Control 

Managing Legume and Fertiliser N for Northern Grains Cropping 

Spread, Delve, Spade, Invert a 

The Current and Potential Costs from Diseases of Oilseed Crops in Australia 

The Current and Potential Costs from Diseases of Pulse Crops in Australia 

Water Use Efficiency of Grain Crops in Australia: Principles, benchmarks and management 

Weather Essentials for Pesticide Application a 

CDs and DVDs 

Driving Agronomy CDs Northern Region (November 2011) 

Southern Region (November 2011) 

Western Region (November 2011) 

Ground Cover DVDs Episode 4 (July–August 2011) 

Episode 5 (September–October 2011) 

Episode 6 (January–February 2012) 

Episode 7 (May–June 2012) 

Corporate publications 

Governance GRDC Annual Report 2010–11 

GRDC Growers’ Report 2010–11 

GRDC Stakeholder Report 2012–13 

GRDC Annual Operational Plan 2012–13 

Products 

Ground Cover Direct publications catalogue: 

• November–April 2011 

• May–October 2012 

Fact sheets 

National 

End Point Royalties—End Point Royalties: Simplifying the System 

Foliar Applications of Spray—Foliar Applications of Fungicides and Insecticides 

Grain Storage—Dealing with High-moisture Grain 

Grain Storage—Stay Safe around Grain Storage 

Grain Storage—Storing Oilseeds 

Grain Storage—Storing Pulses 

Grain Storage—Successful Storage in Grain Bags 

Grain Storage—Vigilant Monitoring Protects Grain Assets 

In-Crop Herbicide Use—Application Considerations for In-crop Herbicide Use 

Mouse Control—Minimising Crop Damage by Mice 

Pre-season Sprayer Checks 

179 

GRDC Annual Report 2011–2012 Appendix D—Publications

Table 33: New GRDC publications in 2011–12 (continued) 

Fact sheets (continued) 

180 


Appendices 

National (continued) 



Southern and Western regions 


Grain and Graze 2 

Top Paddock 

Guides 

Back Pocket 

Spray Equipment—Weather Monitoring Equipment for Agricultural Spraying Operations 

Spray Mixing Requirements—Mixing Requirements for Spraying Operations 

Spray Water Quality—Water Quality for Spraying Operations 

Stem Rust of Wheat—Seasonal Conditions Drive Outbreaks 

Surface Temperature Inversions and Spraying—The Influence of Surface Temperature 

Inversions on Spray Operations 

Variable-Rate Application—Make Variable-Rate Application Pay 

Herbicide Resistance—Cropping with Herbicide Resistance 

Yellow Spot—Management to Reduce the Risk of Yellow Spot 


Summer Fallow Management—Make Summer Weed Control a Priority 

Yellow Leaf Spot—Management to Reduce the Risk of Yellow Leaf Spot 

Rhizoctonia—Management to Minimise Rhizoctonia Disease in Cereals 

Barley Powdery Mildew—Control Strategies for Powdery Mildew 


Summer Fallow Management—Make Summer Weed Control a Priority 

Yellow Spot—Management to Reduce the Risk of Yellow Spot 

Making a Mixed Farming System Work for You—East South Australia 

Making a Mixed Farming System Work for You—Eyre Peninsula 

Making a Mixed Farming System Work for You—Northern Region 

Making a Mixed Farming System Work for You—Northern Victoria 

Making a Mixed Farming System Work for You—Southern New South Wales 

Making a Mixed Farming System Work for You—Southern Victoria 

Making a Mixed Farming System Work for You—Western Australia 

Adapting to Hotter Conditions and More Variable Summer Rainfall in Northern 

Growing Regions 

Adapting to Hotter Conditions and More Variable Summer Rainfall in Southern 


Adapting to Hotter Conditions and More Variable Summer Rainfall in Western 


Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Grain Production (national) 

How GRDC is Helping Grain Growers to Adapt their Businesses to Australia’s 

Changing Climate 

Multi-week Forecasts for the Northern Region 

Multi-week Forecasts for the Southern Region 

Multi-week Forecasts for the Western Region 

Reducing Fertiliser Nitrogen Loss and Nitrous Oxide Emissions (Northern and 

Southern regions) 

Storing Soil Carbon to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions (national) 

The Impacts of Increasing Carbon Dioxide in Northern Grain Growing Regions 

The Impacts of Increasing Carbon Dioxide in Southern Grain Growing Regions 

The Impacts of Increasing Carbon Dioxide in Western Grain Growing Regions 

Using Legumes to Reduce Nitrogen Loss and Nitrous Oxide Emissions (national) 

Nozzle Selection for Boom, Band and Shielded Spraying 

Stored Grain Pests Identification 

Sowing and harvest South Australia Sowing Guide 2012 

South Australian Crop Harvest Report 2012

Table 33: New GRDC publications in 2011–12 (continued) 

Guides (continued) 

Varieties Wheat Variety Guide for Western Australia 2012 

Newsletters 

HoRiZon 

(high-rainfall zones) 

Barley Variety Guide for Western Australia 2012 

Queensland 2012 Wheat Varieties Guide 

Variety Sowing Guide—Victoria 

Issue 3 (March 2012) 

Issue 4 (June 2012) 

Grains Research Update Northern Region: issues 61, 62, 63 and 64 

Southern Region: issues 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17 

Farm Business Update Southern Region: July 2011, February 2012 

CLIMAG 

(Managing Climate 

Variability Program) 

Newspapers 

Ground Cover and 

Ground Cover supplements 

Tools 

Hard copy 

Electronic 

Edition 21 (August 2011) 

Edition 22 (March 2012) 

Six issues, all with supplements: 

• Issue 93: International Collaboration—Shared Solutions to Common Issues 

• Issue 94: Crop Protection—An Integrated Approach 

• Issue 95: Mixed Farming—Flexible Fields—Crop, Pasture or Both 

• Issue 96: Soil Biology Initiative—Harnessing the Soil’s Secrets 

• Issue 97: More Profit from Nutrition—Making Crop Nutrition More Hit and Less Miss 

• Issue 98: Crop Sequencing—Flexible Farming 

2012 Paddock Diary 

2012 Farm Gross Margin and Enterprise Planning Guide 

Stored Grain Pests Identification Poster 

Weeds: the Ute Guide phone app (Southern Edition) 

a Hard copies of this booklet cost $10 in addition to postage and handling. 

181 

GRDC Annual Report 2011–2012 Appendix D—Publications

Appendix E—Selection Committee report 

GRAINS RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION 

SELECTION COMMITTEE 

182 


Appendices 

Senator the Hon Joe Ludwig 

Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry 

Parliament House 

CANBERRA ACT 2600 

Dear Minister 

Grains Research and Development Corporation Selection Committee Report 2011-12 

This report summarises the activities of the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) selection 

committee from 1 July 2011 to 30 March 2012, pursuant to section 141 of the Primary Industries and Energy 

Research and Development Act 1989 (PIERD Act), in relation to the nomination of seven directors for 

appointment to the GRDC Board. 

Establishment of the selection committee 

The GRDC selection committee was established under the PIERD Act for the purpose of nominating to you 

seven persons for appointment as directors of the GRDC. 

I was appointed by you as presiding member on 27 May 2011, for the period ending 30 June 2014. On 11 July 

2011, following nominations made by the GRDC’s representative industry organization Grain Producers 

Australia (GPA), the selection committee was appointed as follows: 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mr David Crombie 

Mr Terry Enright 

Prof Alistar Robertson 

Ms Fiona Simson 

Ms Jane Walton 

Mr Andrew Weidemann 

Selection Process 

Applications were called through advertisements placed in the following newspapers: 

Friday 24 June, 1 July The Financial Review 

Saturday 25 June, 2 July The Weekend Australian 

Week of 27 June the Rural Press 

Details of the director vacancies were also distributed through a range of electronic networks covering 

websites for GRDC, Women on Boards Organisation, the Australian Rural Leadership Foundation and Nuffield 

Australia Farming Scholars. A total of 164 applications were received, of which 48 (30% of total) were received 

from female applicants and 4 from existing directors. The GRDC’s representative industry organisation, Grain 

Producers Australia was also invited to nominate candidates for consideration by the selection committee. 

Existing GRDC directors were also invited to apply. 

A search was conducted of the Department for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Balance database as well as 

the AppointWomen database. 

Applications closed on 8 July 2011.

In accordance with the PIERD Act, the advertisements called for written applications against the following 

criteria: 

Grains production, processing and marketing 

Environmental and ecological matters 

Science and technology 

Technology transfer 

Management and conservation of natural resources 

Economics 

Administration of research and development 

Finance and business management 

Sociology 

Public administration 

183 

All candidates were also required to have: 

An understanding of corporate governance and directors’ responsibilities 

Good communication skills and the capacity to represent GRDC to all stakeholders 

The GRDC Chair and its Managing Director were consulted and provided the selection committee with a 

detailed briefing on the Corporation and its strategic direction immediately prior to the short listing process. 

In developing the shortlist, the selection committee took into account the core selection criteria contained in 

the PIERD Act, along with other criteria agreed as important including: 

 

 

 

 

 

Strong strategic thinking 

Commercial sensitivity to grain production 

Awareness and understanding of the international research & development environment in both 

public and private sectors 

Demonstrated experience in commercial deal brokerage 

Geographical diversity of production experience and knowledge 

The selection committee met on 28 th July 2011 to review the applications. The committee unanimously agreed 

to a shortlist of 16 candidates for interview, including 4 women and 3 existing directors. 

Interviews were conducted on 11 and 12 August 2011 at the Stamford Plaza Hotel, Sydney Airport. Two of the 

shortlisted applicants were unable to attend in person and undertook telephone interviews. One candidate 

was unable to attend due to having undergone surgery immediately prior to the date and detailed discussions 

were conducted by telephone with the candidate, the candidate’s referees and the Chair of GRDC. 

Following interviews the selection committee made its final decisions, taking into account the collective 

balance of expertise and experience in board affairs required by the PIERD Act. 

Board Appointments 

Upon completion of the selection process, the GRDC selection committee reported to you with seven 

nominations for your consideration. You appointed six nominees for a term commencing 4 November 2011 

and ending 30 September 2014 and requested the committee to provide you with a further nomination. The 

seventh nominee was appointed by you commencing 8 March 2012 and ending 30 September 2014. The 

appointments included: 

GRDC Annual Report 2011–2012 Appendix E—Selection Committee report 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mr Richard Brimblecombe new appointment resident of Queensland 

Dr Jeremy Burdon new appointment resident of the Australian Capital Territory 

Ms Jennifer Goddard reappointment resident of the Australian Capital Territory 

Mr Kim Halbert new appointment resident of Western Australia 

Prof Robert Lewis new appointment resident of South Australia 

Mrs Sharon Starick new appointment resident of South Australia 

Mr John Woods new appointment resident of New South Wales 

2

Expenses 

Item $ 

selection committee and applicant’s travel, accommodation and expenses 27,211.55 

Advertising 11,816.53 

Selection Committee members’ fees (excluding the Presiding Member) 6,372.00 

Presiding Member’s fees 20,787.06 

Secretariat Costs (supporting the selection committee) 4,772.27 

Total (Excluding GST) 70,959.41 

184 

Following notification of your appointment of the seventh director, I formally abolished the GRDC selection 

committee pursuant to section 129 of the PIERD Act on 23 March 2012. 


Appendices 


Joanne Grainger 

Presiding Member 

Grains Research and Development Corporation Selection Committee 

30 July 2012 

In confirmation of electronic copy sent by email Monday, 6 August 2012 

3 

Opposite page: photo by Paul Jones

References 

Abbreviations list 186 

Compliance index 187 

Alphabetical index 188

Abbreviations list 

186 


References 

ABARES 

ABC 

ACPFG 

ADWIP 

APVMA 

AVRDC 

Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences 

Australian Broadcasting Corporation 

Australian Centre for Plant Functional Genomics 

Australian Durum Wheat Improvement Program 

Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority 

World Vegetable Center 

CAC Act Commonwealth Authorities and Companies Act 1997 

CAIGE 

CGIAR 

CIMMYT 

CSIRO 

DGT 

CIMMYT–Australia–ICARDA Germplasm Evaluation 

Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research 

International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center 

Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation 

diffusive gradients in thin films 

EPBC Act Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 

FBM 

Farm Business Management 

FOI Act Freedom of Information Act 1982 

GM 

GPA 

GPS 

Grains Industry National 

RD&E Strategy 


GST 

ICARDA 

ICRISAT 

IPS 

NMIP 

NVT 

PICSE 

genetically modified 

Grain Producers Australia Limited 

Global Positioning System 

Grains Industry National Research, Development and Extension Strategy, 

April 2011 


goods and services tax 

International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas 

International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics 

Information Publication Scheme 

National Mungbean Improvement Program 


Primary Industry Centre for Science Education 

PIERD Act Primary Industries and Energy Research and Development Act 1989 

POAMA 

R&D 

RD&E 

RDCs 

SAM 

SARDI 

SLG 

SMS 

TFP 

WHS 

Predictive Ocean Atmosphere Model for Australia 

research and development 

research, development and extension 

rural R&D corporations 

Southern Annular Mode 

South Australian Research and Development Institute 


Short Messaging Service 

total factor productivity 

work health and safety

Compliance index 

CAC Act requirements 

Annual Operational Plan 4, 20, 95 

Audit Committee, see Finance, Risk and 


Auditor-General’s Report 108–109 

Chair’s signoff v 

Corporate governance 98–100 

Definitions 186 

Directors 

particulars 86–89 

meetings held 90 

selection 89 

meeting attendance 90 

conflict of interest 90 

education and performance reviews 90 

Directors’ statement 110 

Enabling legislation 2, 79, 95 

Ethics and risk management 96, 98–99 

Finance, Risk and Audit Committee 89–90 

Financial statements 108–144 

Five Year Research and Development Plan 4, 

15, 18, 20, 30 

Government policies and General Policy 

Orders 94–95 

Indemnities and insurance premiums for 

officers 99 

Judicial decisions and reviews by outside 

bodies 97 

Key changes to the state of affairs, activities or 

legislation 10 

Legislative functions/objectives 2 

Location of major activities and facilities 14 

Ministerial directions 94 

Names of responsible ministers 94 

Operational and financial results 20–84, 

108–144 

Organisational structure 10 

Other legislation 6, 96, 97, 99, 100, 103, 104 

Performance assessment 20–84 

Significant events (CAC Act, s.15) 97 

PIERD Act requirements 

Acquisition and disposition of real estate none 

Annual Operational Plan implementation 4, 10 

20, 95 

Commercial activities 81–84 

Companies in which the GRDC has an interest 

81–84 

Five-year R&D Plan 4, 15, 18, 20, 31 

Funds 

source iii, 2, 95 

expenditure iv, 146–147, 174 

Legislative objectives 2 

R&D activities ii–iii, 6–9, 16–17, 20–84, 

148–178 

Selection Committee Report 182–184 

Other reporting 

requirements 

Funding of consultation costs for Grain 

Producers Australia 95–96 

Government’s R&D priorities incorporated into 

the Annual Operational Plan 8–9 

Intellectual property management 83 

Portfolio budget statements 4, 10, 43–45, 

54–55, 60–61, 74–77 

Risk management 79, 89, 98–99 

Other legislative 

requirements 

Environment Protection and Biodiversity 

Conservation Act 1999 99 

National Disability Strategy 2010–20 

(Commonwealth Disability Discrimination Act 

1992) 103 

Freedom of Information Act 1982 100 

Work Health and Safety Act 2011 104 

187 

GRDC Annual Report 2011–2012 Compliance index

Alphabetical index 

188 


References 

A 

accountability, 4, 94–97 

to the Australian Government, 94–95 

under the Commonwealth Authorities and 

Companies Act, 96 

consultation arrangements, 95–96 

growers’ report, 95 

to the grains industry, 95 

independent audits, 97 

judicial decisions and reviews, 97 

significant events, 97 

stakeholder report, 95 

Advisory panels, 12–13, 91 

media training, 64 

Agri-Science Queensland, 50 

Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Department of, 

28, 30 

collection and management of industry levies, 95 

Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry portfolio, 2, 13, 

20, 23 

Angus, Leecia, 92 

Annual Operational Plan, 4, 20, 95 

annual reports, 6 

Arista Cereal Technologies Pty Ltd, 57, 82 

Auditor-General, 97 

Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource 

Economics and Sciences, 15, 20 

Australian Agricultural and Grazing Industries 

Survey, 23, 24 

Science and Innovation Awards for Young People 

in Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, 69 

Australian Centre for Plant Functional Genomics, 16, 

17, 49, 51, 83 

Australian Cereal Rust Control Program, 16, 36–37 

Australian Durum Wheat Improvement Program, 46 

Australian Export Grain Innovation Centre, 57 

Australian Feedgrain R&D Partnership, 56 

Australian Glyphosate Sustainability Working 

Group, 35 

Australian Government Bargaining Framework, 94, 

103 

Australian Government priorities, 8–9, 94 

expenditure on, 147 

Australian Grains Genebank, 51 

Australian Grains Industry Trust, 37 

Australian Herbicide Resistance Initiative, 16, 35 

Australian Mungbean Association, 48 

Australian Museum Eureka Prizes, 63 

Australian National Audit Office Better Practice Guide: 

Public Sector Governance, 98 

Australian National University, 69 

Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines 

Authority, 37, 40, 73 

Australian Research Council, 35, 49 

Australian Rural Leadership Program, 70 

Australian Temperate Field Crops Collection, 51 

Australian Tropical Crops and Forages Collection, 51 

Australian Winter Cereals Collection, 51, 58–59 

Australian Winter Cereals Pre-breeding Alliance, 48 

Australian Year of the Farmer partnership, 62–63 

awards and scholarships, 66–67 

education and training scholarships, 66 

industry development awards, 67 

Nuffield Australia Farming Scholarships, 69–70 

Science and Innovation Awards for Young People 

in Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, 69 

travel awards, 67 

Vavilov–Frankel fellowships, 70–71 

B 

Back Paddock Company, 16, 59, 83 

barley, 57 

Bayer CropScience, 16, 33, 56, 82 

Birrell, Nicole, 88, 89 

Board, 12, 86–90 

change of membership, 89 

disclosure of interests, 90, 96 

Finance, Risk and Audit Committee, 89–90 

independent professional advice, 90 

induction and training, 90 

meetings, 90 

membership, 86–89 

performance monitoring and review, 91 

roles, responsibilities and code of conduct, 90 

Secretary, 89 

selection of members, 89, 182–184 

and the Senior Leadership Group, 12, 91 

Brimblecombe, Richard, 86, 89 

Budd, Geoff, 89 

Bui Huyen, 70–71 

Burdon, Jeremy, 87, 89 

Bureau of Meteorology, 29 

business groups, role of, 93 

business relationships, 83 

Butcher, Colin, 88, 89 

C 

Centre for Grain Food Innovation, 57 

Charles Sturt University, 50 

Chilvers, Michael, 69 

CIMMYT–Australia–ICARDA Germplasm Evaluation 

program, 32, 79 

Climate Champions program, 23, 63 

climate change focus, 26–30 

adapting wheat to changing patterns of frost and 

heat events, 29–30 

Managing Climate Variability, 29 

National Adaptation and Mitigation Initiative, 30 

nitrous oxide emissions, 26–27 

soil carbon sequestration, 28–29 

Climate Change Research Program, 30 

code of conduct, 98 

collaboration, 14, 17, 31–33 

Australian Year of the Farmer campaign, 62–63 

capacity-building collaborations, 68–71 

collaborative projects, 33

commercial partnerships, 14, 81–83 

international activities, 32–33 

joint R&D projects, 175–178 

strategic approach, 31 

Comcover, 99 

Commercial business group, 10–11, 93 

commercial partnerships, 14 

commercialisation, 59, 81–84 

business relationships, 83 

commercial agreements, 82–83 

companies in which the GRDC has shares or 

membership, 84 

new crop varieties, 81–82 

new products, 82 

outcomes, 81–83 

selection of commercial partners, 82 

strategy for, 81 

Commonwealth Authorities and Companies Act 1997, 

6, 79, 90, 94, 96 

Commonwealth Fraud Control Guidelines 2011, 94, 98 

Commonwealth Procurement Guidelines, 94 

communication, 13, 17, 39, 62–68 

Communication and Capacity Building output group, 

62–78 

awards and scholarships, 66–67 

capacity-building collaborations, 68–69 

communication campaigns, 62–64 

expenditure on projects, 174 

Extension and Adoption Training and Support 

Program, 67–68 

industry conferences, 67 

information packaging, 65 

media training, 64 

objective, 74 

overview, 74–77 

performance indicators, 74–77 

projects, 166–172 

publications, 65–66 

RD&E for 2012–13, 78 

strategies, 74 

communication campaigns 

Australian Year of the Farmer partnership, 62–63 

climate communication, 63 

grain storage strategy, 63 

high-rainfall zone campaign, 64 

interactive displays at field days, 63–64 

Over the Fence multimedia campaign, 63 

wheat breeding strategy, 64 

conflict of interest, 90, 96 

consultation arrangements, 95–96 

Consultative Group on International Agriculture 

Research, 32 

Cooperative Research Centre for National Plant 

Biosecurity, 57–58 

corporate performance, 20–25, 98–100 

code of conduct, 98 

environmental objectives, 99 

farm performance, 23–25 

grower survey, 22 

Harvesting Productivity, 25 

impact assessments, 22–23 

indemnities and insurance, 99 

policies and procedures, 98 

quality assurance, 99 

Corporate Services business group, 10–11, 79–80, 93 

business process review, 80 


portfolio management, 79 


corporate strategies, 20–21, 31–32 

Council of Australian Governments Primary Industries 

Steering Committee, 48 

Crop Biofactories Initiative, 17, 57, 59, 82 

crop nutrition, 16 

Crop Science Society of South Australia, 73 

CSIRO, 13, 16 



Australian Winter Cereals Pre-breeding Alliance, 48 

Crop Biofactories Initiative, 17, 57, 59, 82 

dual-purpose crops, 34–35 

durum wheat genes, 51 

high-amylose wheat, 57 

Mathematics, Informatics and Statistics, 50 

nitrogen use efficiency technology, 49, 83 

pest-suppressive landscapes, 36 

Plant Industry, 56, 69 

Soil Carbon Research Program, 28 

Curtin University, 69 

D 

deBruin Engineering Pty Ltd, 59, 82 

Department of Agriculture and Food, Western 

Australia, 36, 47, 48 

Department of Employment, Economic Development 

and Innovation, Queensland, 36, 48, 50, 52, 71 

Department of Primary Industries, New South Wales, 

46, 51, 57, 82 

Department of Primary Industries, Victoria, 30, 51 

DGT (diffusive gradients in thin films) technology, 16, 

59, 83 

disease management, 16, 36–37 

Diversity Arrays Technology Pty Ltd, 58 

Driving Agronomy radio programs, 65 

DuPont Pioneer, 17, 49 

E 

education and training scholarships, 66 

Enterprise Agreement 2011–13, 103 

environmental objectives, 99 

equal employment opportunity, 103 

Executive Management Team, 10 

Executive managers, 12, 92 

Extension and Adoption Training and Support 

program, 67–68 

external scrutiny, 97 

F 

fact sheets, 63, 179–180 

farm business management, 37–38 

Farm Business Management Update program, 17, 

38 

grain marketing technical workshops, 38 

resources, 37–38 

Farm Gross Margin and Enterprise Planning Guide 

2012, 37 

189 

GRDC Annual Report 2011–2012 Alphabetical index

190 


References 

farm performance, 23–25 

financial performance, 24 

total factor productivity, 24–25 

Farmonline website, 63, 65 

Finance, Risk and Audit Committee, 89–90 

financial statements, 108–144 

Fitzgerald, Luke, 70 

Fraser, Ashley, 69 

fraud control, 98–99 

freedom of information, 100 

frost, 16, 29–30, 48–49 

fungicide resistance, 16 

G 

Goddard, Jenny, 87, 89 

grain grower priorities, 6–7, 95 

Grain Inventors program, 63 

grain marketing technical workshops, 38 

Grain Producers Australia, 13, 95 

Grain Storage Extension Program, 71 

grain storage strategy, 63 

stored-grain information hub, 63 

Grainger, Joanne, 89 

GrainGrowers Limited, 58, 82 

Grains Industry National RD&E Strategy, 48 

grains industry priorities, 95 

grains industry production, 15 

Grains Industry Research Scholarships, 23, 72 


advisory panels, 12–13, 19 

Board, 12, 86–90 

business groups, 10–11 

business process review, 80 

corporate governance, 98–100 

Enterprise Agreement 2011–13, 103 

environmental policy, 99 

funding, iii, 2, 95 

information technology, 80 

location, 14 

Operating Manual, 90, 91, 98, 100, 103 

organisational structure, 10–13 

outcome, 5 

outlook for 2012–13, 18 



purpose, 2 

regions, 3 

relationships, 13–14 

Senior Leadership Group, 12, 92 

standards of conduct, 90, 91, 96, 98 

strategic R&D plans, 4, 15, 18, 20, 31 

vision and values, i 

GRDC Selection Committee, 89, 182–184 

GRIN Global database, 51 

Ground Cover newspaper, 38, 64, 65–66 

Ground Cover TV, 65, 71 

grower levy, 2, 95 

Grower Solutions Groups, 17, 39 

Grower Survey, 15, 22 

adoption levels of farm management practices and 

technologies, 42 

Ground Cover newspaper, 66 

uptake of new varieties, 53 

value of GRDC information, 73 

H 

Halbert, Kim, 87, 89 

Harrington Weed Seed Destructor, 82 

Harvesting Productivity, 20, 25 

Harvey, John, 65, 86, 92 

Hausler, Julia, 70 

I 

impact assessments, 22–23 

In The Field video bulletin, 65 

industry levy, iii, 2, 95 

information packaging, 34, 65 

Information Publication Scheme, 100 

information technology, 80 

Innovation Generation Conference, 67 

intellectual property, 83 

international activities, 32–33 

International Center for Agricultural Research in the 

Dry Areas, 14, 17, 32, 33, 46–47 

International Crop Research Institute for the Semi-Arid 

Tropics, 14, 17 

International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center, 

14, 17, 32, 46 

International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for 

Food and Agriculture, 51 

J 


judicial scrutiny, 97 

K 

Kearns, Stuart, 92 

key performance indicators, 22, 43–45, 54–55, 

60–61, 74–77 

L 

leveraging grains R&D investment, 21, 32 

Lewis, Robert, 87, 89 

Limagrain Céréals Ingrédients, 57, 82 

Linsell, Katherine, 72 

Logan, Vince, 92 

Ludwig, Senator the Hon. Joe, 94 

M 

Managing Climate Variability program, 29 

Marshall, Steve, 88, 89 

Meat & Livestock Australia, 58 

MEMS IR technology, 59 

Menzies, Edwina, 89 

Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, 89, 94 

ministerial directions, 94 

mouse control, 73 

mungbeans, 48, 52–53, 70–71 

N 

National Adaptation and Mitigation Initiative, 30 

National Invertebrate Pest Initiative, 35 

National Mouse Management Working Group, 73 

National Mungbean Improvement Program, 48, 52–53 

National Panel, 12, 13 

National Research Priorities, 8–9 

expenditure on, 146–147

National Variety Trials, 23, 39, 49–50 

NVT Online website, 49–50 

National Working Party on Pesticide Applications, 37 

National Youth Science Forum, 68–69 

New Products output group, 56–61 

collaborative research for post-harvest integrity, 

57–58 

Crop Biofactories Initiative, 57 



New Farm Products and Services, 56, 58–59 

New Grain Products, 56 

objective, 60 



processing technology for low-protein flour, 57 



ultra-low gluten barley, 57 

wheat yield gene technology, 56 

Nitrous Oxide Research Program, 26–27 

Northern Regional Panel, 13, 91 

Nuffield Australia Farming Scholarships, 17, 69–70 

O 

Oakton, 98 

oats, 47–48 

organisational structure, 10–13 

Over the Fence multimedia campaign, 65 

overseas visitors, 33 

P 

partnerships, 14, 17, 62–63, 81–83; see also 

collaboration 

patents, 83 

Pathways to Registration program, 16, 40 

people management, 100–105 

enterprise agreement, 103 

equal employment opportunity, 103 

flexible working arrangements, 103 

learning and development, 102–103 

performance management, 103 

recruitment and retention, 102 

staff, 100–102 

work health and safety, 104–105 

Workplace Consultative Committee, 103 

performance, 4–5, 20–84 

climate change focus, 26–30 

collaboration, 31–33 

commercialisation, 81–84 

Communication and Capacity Building output 

group, 62–78 

corporate performance, 20–25 

enabling functions, 79–80 

New Products output group, 56–61 

Practices output group, 34–45 

Varieties output group, 46–55 

work health and safety, 105 

performance monitoring and review, 91 

Perrett, Keith, v, 15–18, 86, 89 

personnel structure, 100 

pest management, 16, 35–36 

insecticide resistance, 36 

integrated pest management, 35 

natural pest control, 36 

pest-suppressive landscapes, 36 

registration and pesticide access, 16, 40 

phone app, 41 

planning and reporting, 4–6 

plant breeder’s rights, 83 

Plant Health Australia, 40 

Powell, Jeff, 69 


Practices output group, 34–45 

disease management, 36–37 

dual-purpose crops, 34–35 


farm business management, 37–38 

National Variety Trials workshops, 39 

objective, 43 



pest management, 35–36 

pesticide application, 37 


Regional Cropping Solutions initiative, 39 


weed management, 35 

pre-breeding research into frost tolerance, 16, 48–49 

Predictive Ocean Atmosphere Model, 29 

Primary Industries and Energy Research and 

Development Act 1989, 2, 79, 94 

Primary Industries Standing Committee of the Primary 

Industries Ministerial Council, 13 

Primary Industry Centre for Science Education, 17, 68 

projects, 148–174, 175–178 

agronomy, soils and environment, 148–150 

building research capacity, 166–170 

Communication & Capacity Building, 166–172 

corporate communications, 170–172 

Corporate Services, 172–173 

crop protection, 150–153 

extension and grower programs, 156–158 

gene discovery, 158–160 

germplasm enhancement, 160–162 


new farm products and services, 164–165 

new grain products, 166 

New Products, 164–166 

Practices, 148–158 

pulses, oilseed and summer coarse grains, 

163–164 

validation and integration, 153–156 

Varieties, 158–164 

wheat and barley breeding, 162–163 

Prosperity through Innovation, 4, 15 

publications, 35, 38, 65–66, 179–181 

pulse breeding, 48 

Q 

Quality Management System, 99 

Queensland Country Life website, 63 

R 

Reeves, Professor Timothy, 88, 89 

Regional Cropping Solutions initiative, 17, 39 

Regional Grower Services business group, 10–11, 93 

Regional Panels, membership, 91 

191 

GRDC Annual Report 2011–2012 Alphabetical index

192 


References 

research, development and extension planned for 

2012–13, 18, 45, 55, 61, 78 

research priorities, 6–9 

expenditure on government priorities, 146–147 

grain grower priorities, 6–7 

grains industry priorities, 95 

National Research Priorities, 8–9 

Rural R&D Priorities, 8–9 

Research Programs business group, 10–11, 93 

risk management, 98–99 

Robertson, Professor Graeme, 89 

Rural Industries Research and Development 

Corporation, 35 

Rural R&D Priorities, 8–9 

expenditure on, 147 

S 

Sadler, Jemma, 70 

safflower, 59 

salinity, 16, 51 

Schaefer, Robin, 70 

Science and Innovation Awards for Young People in 

Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, 69 

Selection Committee, report, 182–184 

Senior Leadership Group, 10, 12, 91 

significant events, 97 

Smart, Ryan, 70 

soil carbon sequestration, 28–29 

soil-testing technology, 16, 59, 83 

South Australian Research and Development Institute, 

47, 72 

Southern Regional Panel, 13, 91 

staff, 100–103 

by age and gender, 103 

listing, 101–102 

personnel structure, 100 

workplace diversity, 103 

stakeholders, 13 

stakeholder report, 95 

Starick, Sharon, 87, 89 

Statistics for the Australian Grains Industry program, 

50 

Strategic R&D Plan 2007–12, 4, 15, 20, 31 

Strategic R&D Plan 2012–17, 15, 18 

Sustaining Rural Communities conference, 67 

T 

The Beat Sheet, 35 

Thomas, Stephen, 92 

Top Paddock fact sheets, 63, 180 

total factor productivity, 24–25 

trademarks, 83 

travel awards, 67 

U 

University of Adelaide, 46, 48, 50, 51 

University of Queensland, 37 

University of Western Australia, 35, 50, 51, 68 

University of Wollongong, 50 

update programs for growers and advisers, 17, 38, 

45, 47, 64 

V 

Varieties output group, 46–55 

development of enhanced winter cereals 

germplasm, 48–49 


gene discovery and new technologies, 49 

genetic resources, 50–51 

National Variety Trials, 49–50 

oat breeding, 47–48 

objective, 54 




pulse breeding, 48 

statistical resources, 50 


wheat breeding, 46–47 

wheat classification, 47 

Variety Classification Panel, 47 

Vavilov–Frankel Fellowships, 70–71 

Vilmorin and Cie, 16, 49, 83 

W 

water use efficiency, 16 

webcasts, 64, 65, 73 

websites, 17, 65 

Agri Climate Culture, 63 

Farmonline, 63, 65 

GRDC, 17, 65 

NVT Online, 49–50 

POAMA, 29 

Privacy Commissioner, 100 

Queensland Country Life, 63 

stored-grain information hub, 63 

Wheat Quality Australia, 47 

weed management, 16, 35 

Weeds: the Ute Guide app, 41 

Western Regional Panel, 13, 91 

wheat 



classification, 47 


nematode resistance, 72 

new durum variety, 47, 51 

processing technology for low-protein flour, 57 

wheat breeding, 46–47, 64 

yield gene technology, 56 

Wheat Breeding Assembly, 48 

Wheat Classification Council, 47 

Wheat Quality Australia Limited, 47 

winter cereals germplasm enhancement, 48–49 

Woods, John, 88, 89 

work health and safety, 104–105 

World Vegetable Centre, 71 

Y 

YouTube channel, 64, 65

Contact details 

Location 

Postal address 

Contact officer 

Level 1, Tourism House 


BARTON ACT 2600 


PO Box 5367 

KINGSTON ACT 2604 

GRDC Compliance Officer 

Telephone: 02 6166 4500 

Facsimile: 02 6166 4599 

Website: www.grdc.com.au 

Delivery dates 

Submission of financial statements to the GRDC Finance, Risk and 

Audit Committee 9 August 2012 

Submission of final draft to the GRDC Board 10 September 2012 

Certification of financial statements by the Australian National 

Audit Office 9 August 2012 

Approval of final annual report by the GRDC Board 18 September 2012 

Submission to the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry 15 October 2012 

Submission to the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry 15 October 2012 

Tabling in parliament 

Presentation to Grain Producers Australia 

During the spring session 

On tabling 

Production notes 

Compliance editor 

Photo editor 

Program editor 

Financials 

Concepts, text and research 

Editing and indexing 

Design and typesetting 

Printing 

Catherine Wells 

Maureen Cribb 

Zoltan Lukacs 

Danielle Jakubowski and Nino Divito 


WordsWorth Writing, Canberra 

ZOO Advertising 

Bluestar Group, Canberra 

ISSN 1037–4531 

© Grains Research and Development Corporation 2012 

Cover photos: Emma Leonard 

This publication is copyright. Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, 

no part may be reproduced by any process without written permission from the Grains Research 

and Development Corporation.

www.grdc.com.au

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